Dimapur: The stand-off between Assam Rifles troops and NSCN (IM) cadres at Shiroi village, 20kms away from Ukhrul district headquarters, has entered the ninth day Tuesday with both the parties showing no sign of pulling out from the village as they stuck to their respective positions. As a result, the village is virtually under siege, it was informed.
Sources from Shiroi village said the Assam Rifles are staying put in the village while asserting that the troops would be withdrawn only after the NSCN (IM) armed cadres exit from the village. On the other hand, the NSCN (IM) also reportedly communicated that they would not budge unless their demand for “another designated camp” elsewhere was accepted.
According to Newmai News Network (NNN), both the parties have consolidated their respective positions with the NSCN (IM) affirming today that the Naga cadres are determined not to “succumb to the anti-ceasefire politics of both the government of Manipur and the Assam Rifles” while the Assam Rifles authority has asked either the NSCN (IM) to move to the outfit’s designated camps or surrender their weapons and move out of the village. A few days ago, the Union Home Ministry had reportedly directed both Assam Rifles and the NSCN (IM)to vacate from the village to which 72-hour’s time span was given. The deadline elapsed on January 26.
As tension continued to mount in the village, the coordination committee formed by various social organizations to settle the ongoing impasse, has been staging a sit-in protest for the second day in Ukhrul demanding immediate resolution to the standoff. Likewise, Naga frontal organizations including the Naga Hoho, the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and others have rushed to Ukhrul headquarters today for a first-hand report and diffuse the situation.
According to sources, the Assam Riffles has deployed troops drawn from 17 and 23 ARs battalions. “There are about 500 ARs personnel in the area. There is no sign of withdrawal from them till this evening,” said the villagers. There are about 20 NCSN (IM) cadres inside the “disputed camp,” sources added.
Reasoning its stand, the NSCN-IM spokesman informed NNN tonight that they were all prepared to abide the Union Home Ministry’s directive but “unless the government of India gives us a designated camp in place of Shiroi, where do we go. We will remain staying at the Shiroi camp.” However, the Assam Rifles spokesman told NNN this evening that the NSCN-IM had requested the Assam Rifles authority on January 23 for a safe passage to go out with their weapons to which “we had obliged and as a one time measure we requested them to move out of Shiroi village so that peace and tranquility are ensured but the NSCN-IM cadres continue to remain there.” The spokesman of the Assam Rifles added that the Army and the Assam Rifles personnel will continue cordoning the village unless the NSCN-IM cadres “surrender their weapons to us and move out or go to their designated camps. The Assam Rifles spokesman further stated that moving freely with arms by the NSCN-IM cadres in the villages will create law and order problem. “Our prime interest is that the armed underground cadres do not disturb the villagers,” said the Assam Rifles spokesman.
Naga Hoho, NSF team arrive in Ukhrul
Dimapur: On a mission to break the stalemate between the Assam Rifles and NCSN (IM) cadres at Shiroi village, a 12-member delegation of Naga Hoho and Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has reached Ukhrul headquarters today and held a closed-door meeting with members of the coordination committee. Addressing sit-in protestors at Gandhi Chowk in Ukhrul town this afternoon, the Naga Hoho and NSF assured the public to intervene and find amicable solution to the weeklong standoff between the AR and NSCN (IM) cadres.
“The present situation in Shiroi is a cause of concern for all the Nagas. This is a test to the conscience of Nagas and we will face and address it as one,” said Naga Hoho general secretary Chuba Ozukum. Representatives from the NSF, NPMHR and United Naga Council (UNC) also addressed the sit-in protest.
Later in the evening, the Naga Hoho delegation led by its general secretary held a closed door meeting with members of the coordination committee. The committee is a conglomeration of the Tangkhul Hoho, Youth Council, Women’s Union, Tangkhul chiefs and NPMHR among others. The team will visit Shiroi early Wednesday morning. The delegate is also likely to meet AR DIG PS Mandir tomorrow.
Sources said the meeting deliberated on ways to chalk out means for peaceful solution to the weeklong impasse between the paramilitary forces and NSCN (IM). Sources said as tension continued at Shiroi village, children who had returned to Shiroi two days go after being shifted to nearby villages were likely to be shifted out again as a precautionary measure. The villagers complained that agricultural activities have been seriously hampered due to the crisis.
Meanwhile, the Co-ordination Committee alleged that the ARs were curtailing freedom of press at the disputed areas. It is said that the ARs is forcibly censoring the photographs taken by media persons.
The Co-ordination Committee comprising of the Tangkhul Hoho, Youth Council, Women’s Union, Tangkhul chiefs, NPMHR and others, also refuted earlier media reports that the ARs and NSCN (IM) had reportedly agreed to move out of the village within the 72-hour deadline, which expired Monday.
“The terms and conditions reached between the two parties suggest otherwise. The Naga outfits, currently in ceasefire with the Government of India, will move out only when another designated camp is allocated elsewhere. This was the agreement reached between them,” said the Co-ordination Committee publicity incharge Azan Shangh over phone.
The Co-Ordination Committee also said it would resort to other democratic means to totally defuse the crisis. “In case of failure to reach any settlement, we will even form human chain to pave way for the holed up cadres to exit unharmed,” she said. The Committee argued that ceasefire between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) exists even in Manipur.
Till late Tuesday evening, activists from different groups are said to be camping at Shiroi. Women from the village and surrounding areas, who have been keeping a round-the-clock vigil to avert any untoward incident ever since the stand-off began, are still continuing their vigil. “They (women) are still continuing with their day-night vigil. This is likely to go on until the situation is totally peaceful,” a student leader camping in the village said over phone.
Source: Morung Express News
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Sources from Shiroi village said the Assam Rifles are staying put in the village while asserting that the troops would be withdrawn only after the NSCN (IM) armed cadres exit from the village. On the other hand, the NSCN (IM) also reportedly communicated that they would not budge unless their demand for “another designated camp” elsewhere was accepted.
According to Newmai News Network (NNN), both the parties have consolidated their respective positions with the NSCN (IM) affirming today that the Naga cadres are determined not to “succumb to the anti-ceasefire politics of both the government of Manipur and the Assam Rifles” while the Assam Rifles authority has asked either the NSCN (IM) to move to the outfit’s designated camps or surrender their weapons and move out of the village. A few days ago, the Union Home Ministry had reportedly directed both Assam Rifles and the NSCN (IM)to vacate from the village to which 72-hour’s time span was given. The deadline elapsed on January 26.
As tension continued to mount in the village, the coordination committee formed by various social organizations to settle the ongoing impasse, has been staging a sit-in protest for the second day in Ukhrul demanding immediate resolution to the standoff. Likewise, Naga frontal organizations including the Naga Hoho, the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and others have rushed to Ukhrul headquarters today for a first-hand report and diffuse the situation.
According to sources, the Assam Riffles has deployed troops drawn from 17 and 23 ARs battalions. “There are about 500 ARs personnel in the area. There is no sign of withdrawal from them till this evening,” said the villagers. There are about 20 NCSN (IM) cadres inside the “disputed camp,” sources added.
Reasoning its stand, the NSCN-IM spokesman informed NNN tonight that they were all prepared to abide the Union Home Ministry’s directive but “unless the government of India gives us a designated camp in place of Shiroi, where do we go. We will remain staying at the Shiroi camp.” However, the Assam Rifles spokesman told NNN this evening that the NSCN-IM had requested the Assam Rifles authority on January 23 for a safe passage to go out with their weapons to which “we had obliged and as a one time measure we requested them to move out of Shiroi village so that peace and tranquility are ensured but the NSCN-IM cadres continue to remain there.” The spokesman of the Assam Rifles added that the Army and the Assam Rifles personnel will continue cordoning the village unless the NSCN-IM cadres “surrender their weapons to us and move out or go to their designated camps. The Assam Rifles spokesman further stated that moving freely with arms by the NSCN-IM cadres in the villages will create law and order problem. “Our prime interest is that the armed underground cadres do not disturb the villagers,” said the Assam Rifles spokesman.
Naga Hoho, NSF team arrive in Ukhrul
Dimapur: On a mission to break the stalemate between the Assam Rifles and NCSN (IM) cadres at Shiroi village, a 12-member delegation of Naga Hoho and Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has reached Ukhrul headquarters today and held a closed-door meeting with members of the coordination committee. Addressing sit-in protestors at Gandhi Chowk in Ukhrul town this afternoon, the Naga Hoho and NSF assured the public to intervene and find amicable solution to the weeklong standoff between the AR and NSCN (IM) cadres.
“The present situation in Shiroi is a cause of concern for all the Nagas. This is a test to the conscience of Nagas and we will face and address it as one,” said Naga Hoho general secretary Chuba Ozukum. Representatives from the NSF, NPMHR and United Naga Council (UNC) also addressed the sit-in protest.
Later in the evening, the Naga Hoho delegation led by its general secretary held a closed door meeting with members of the coordination committee. The committee is a conglomeration of the Tangkhul Hoho, Youth Council, Women’s Union, Tangkhul chiefs and NPMHR among others. The team will visit Shiroi early Wednesday morning. The delegate is also likely to meet AR DIG PS Mandir tomorrow.
Sources said the meeting deliberated on ways to chalk out means for peaceful solution to the weeklong impasse between the paramilitary forces and NSCN (IM). Sources said as tension continued at Shiroi village, children who had returned to Shiroi two days go after being shifted to nearby villages were likely to be shifted out again as a precautionary measure. The villagers complained that agricultural activities have been seriously hampered due to the crisis.
Meanwhile, the Co-ordination Committee alleged that the ARs were curtailing freedom of press at the disputed areas. It is said that the ARs is forcibly censoring the photographs taken by media persons.
The Co-ordination Committee comprising of the Tangkhul Hoho, Youth Council, Women’s Union, Tangkhul chiefs, NPMHR and others, also refuted earlier media reports that the ARs and NSCN (IM) had reportedly agreed to move out of the village within the 72-hour deadline, which expired Monday.
“The terms and conditions reached between the two parties suggest otherwise. The Naga outfits, currently in ceasefire with the Government of India, will move out only when another designated camp is allocated elsewhere. This was the agreement reached between them,” said the Co-ordination Committee publicity incharge Azan Shangh over phone.
The Co-Ordination Committee also said it would resort to other democratic means to totally defuse the crisis. “In case of failure to reach any settlement, we will even form human chain to pave way for the holed up cadres to exit unharmed,” she said. The Committee argued that ceasefire between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) exists even in Manipur.
Till late Tuesday evening, activists from different groups are said to be camping at Shiroi. Women from the village and surrounding areas, who have been keeping a round-the-clock vigil to avert any untoward incident ever since the stand-off began, are still continuing their vigil. “They (women) are still continuing with their day-night vigil. This is likely to go on until the situation is totally peaceful,” a student leader camping in the village said over phone.
Source: Morung Express News
.::. All my articles can be view here: MELTED HEARTS .::.
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