Dimapur, August 26 (MExN): The Zeliangrong region of the NSCN (IM) expresses “shock” at the “cynical foul” committed by the 23rd Assam Rifles on the outfit’s cadres on August 12 at Shakok village in Manipur’s Ukhrul district.
A note from the “caretaker CAO” of the region asserted the attack is a violation of the Indo-Naga ceasefire ground rules and said “this is the inherent problem with AR ever since ceasefire was declared in all Naga areas.” The outfit also took a pot-shot at the Assam Rifles’ motto (‘friends of the hill people’) as having been proven otherwise when “the real testing time comes to confront them”.
The faction then referred to the situation in North Cachar Hills district of Assam stating that more than fifty Nagas belonging to the Zeme community have died at the hands of the Dimasa militant factions (DHD-Jewel group and DHD-Dilip Nunisa). The note claimed that “eye-witness evidences shows that the hands of Indian security forces are not clean at all as they have worked in tandem with DHD groups to attack the Zemi villages and killed the innocent people without compunction.”
The Indian security forces should also “learn to respect this historical reality”, the outfit said. “But the Zeliangrong people as a whole will not stay as a mere spectators if the human rights of the Zemi people continues to be violated. This is our stand, and this is our solidarity with our Zemi brethren,” the NSCN (IM) said.
The note also expressed shock at the “irresponsible behavior” of the Ceasefire Monitoring Group chairman, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Mandhata Singh. “He ran away from intervening in the Shakok incident saying his jurisdiction is confined to Nagaland only. The manner of his shirking responsibility is something that should be condemned by all who value peaceful solution to Indo-Naga political issue. It is better for him to make an exit from the peace process if he couldn’t face the situation,” the note stated. “He should leave the chair gracefully before he makes himself another laughing stock,” the note added.
