Tension on the rise at Shiroy village over NSCN(IM)-AR stand off

Imphal/Dimapur/Ukhrul, Jan 28 : The 72-hour deadline set to vacate Siroy village by both the Assam Rifles personnel and cadres of the NSCN(IM) elapsed Monday but the impasse over the Ukhrul village is even more charged up with both the hostile parties consolidating to their respective position and the NSCN(IM) affirming today that the Naga outfit was 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 the NSCN(IM) to move to the outfit`s designated camps or surrender their weapons and move out of the Siroy village.

Amidst the heightening tension the Naga frontal organizations including the Naga Hoho, the United Naga Council (UNC), the Naga Students` Federation (NSF) and others rushed to Ukhrul headquarters today to take first hand report and defuse the situation.

This volatile and highly charged development prevailed today at the backdrop of top ranking Naga Army personnel, the armed wing of the NSCN(IM) during their three-day convention at Camp Hebron, off Dimapur on Monday "after minute discussion, taking due consideration of the prevailing deteriorating situation and in contemplation of the impending danger ahead, vowed to resist all forms of antagonism with renewed enthusiasm to safeguard the sacred cause of the Naga nation."

Few days ago, the Union home ministry had reportedly directed both Assam Rifles and the NSCN(IM) to vacate Siroy village to which 72-hour`s time span was given and the deadline elapsed on January 26.

Reasoning its stand, the NSCN(IM) spokesman informed NNN tonight that they were all prepared to abide by the Union home ministry`s directive but "unless the government of India gives us a designated camp in place of Siroy, where do we go. We will remain staying at the Siroy camp."

Meanwhile, the PRO HQ IGAR(South) has clarified that based on the request made by the NSCN(IM) on January 23 this year, the Assam Rifles had accepted to provide safe passage to the NSCN(IM) cadres at the Siroy camp as one time measure, provided they moved out with their weapons to any of the designated camps.

The above step was taken purely from the point of view of ensuring peace and tranquility in the area and ensuring that armed cadres do not roam around in close vicinity of populated areas, the PRO said in a statement.

It was unfortunate that after the request made by the NSCN(IM) to provide a safe passage was acceded to, the NSCN(IM) authorities intimated that they would not move to any of the designated camps and their cadres would move to yet another village with their arms, ammunition and explosives, it stated.

Obviously, this proposal of the NSCN(IM) could not be accepted, as no armed cadres could be permitted to move in any of these areas, the statement said.

It has been the endeavor of the army and Assam Rifles to ensure peace and tranquility and it was on this account that the permission for safe passage to these armed cadres was accorded as a one time measure. The army and Assam Rifles have gone out of their way to help the local populace through a number of MCA projects and sincere endeavors towards providing assistance to locals at all levels, it said.

NSCN(IM) armed cadres if allowed to remain in these areas will affect the security situation and prevailing peaceful environment and hence can not be permitted, the statement maintained while stating that the cordon of the armed cadres would continue till they either surrendered their weapons and left the area or moved to any of the designated camps along with their weapons.

The Assam Rifles has been ensuring security of the local populace and will continue to do so, it said.

Earlier on January 25, a Coordination Committee on Shirui Siege was formed at Ukhrul consisting of various frontal organizations (Tangkhul Naga Long, Tangkhul Shanao Long, Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong, Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long, Naga People`s Movement for Human Rights, Tangkhul Leihsak Long, etc), faith based organizations, NGOs, representatives of Shiroy village, and social activists. The chief objective of the committee is to protect and promote the rights of Shiroy villagers whose human rights are being violated in the siege.

The Committee is also taking up an indefinite sit-in protest against the siege from 7 am of January 26 at Ukhrul until the withdrawal of the Assam Rifles from the village.

Meanwhile, led by Tangkhul Shanao long (Tangkhul women organization) hundreds of women reached the spot to form a wall-like human structure not to allow the AR to cross. Despite the chilly winter night the women from villages like Hundung, Choithar, Langdang, Nungbi and from the Ukhrul town stayed put in the camp area to face the war-like situation.

T Nagalong Kanti Memorial, Gandhi Memorial and many social workers were also guarding the place taking turns and a special discussion will be held tomorrow by the Naga Students Front Manipur, Naga Women Union Manipur, UNC and special members from some organisations.