NSCN (I-M) has strongly objected to setting up of Assam Rifles (AR) outpost along the Dimapur-Hebron road and also the “provocative activities” of AR personnel at Doyapur main road, on the way to Council Headquarters (CHq), Hebron.
It said that the “Indian armed forces personnel (Assam Rifles/AR in particular) are deliberately violating the Cease Fire Ground Rules (CFGRs) agreed between NSCN (I-M) and Government of India not to set up any camp at the Dimapur-Hebron road.” “It has been almost two years since the AR personnel began stationing at Doyapur…,” it added.
Urging the Centre for its withdrawal in the larger interest of the “Indo-Naga peace process”, NSCN (I-M) said that setting up of the AR outpost along the said road was a blatant violation of the agreement while also asserting that there was no logic in setting up an outpost to harass commuters when the Indo-Naga peace process was going on.
NSCN (I-M) alleged that the AR, under the direction of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), had deliberately set up the outpost without any regard to the prior agreement and was keeping a sharp eye on NSCN members going in and out of Hebron.
Claiming that the AR personnel, armed with guns and registry and assisted by the installed CCTV cameras and smart-phones fitted on their chests stops and checks every passing vehicle, NSCN (I-M) said such “deliberate act of harassment meted to commuters in the name of ‘law and order’ is a wilful act of invasion and intrusion of privacy upon individuals and organizations despite no law and order problem in the area,” adding that the Dimapur-Hebron stretch was absolutely peaceful.
Stating the NSCN and the civil society organizations (CSOs) were “keenly observing the excesses of the Indian security forces”, NSCN (I-M) said it has only created unwanted hurdles for the peace loving citizens while “trying to harass and wage psychological wars upon NSCN by the GoI sponsored AR” and completely adverse to the peace initiatives of the government of India and NSCN.
Stating that the AR had become bolder since 2020, NSCN (I-M) alleged that it has also “intensified the harassment upon commuters with much vigour,” by applying “five different levels of harassment” “in their attempt to extract information about the movements and identities of NSCN members and well-wishers.”
NSCN said that the first level during the initial days was simply to note down the numbers of every passing vehicle; second level– asking commuters where they come from, where they are going and what their professions are. Upon further upgrade to the “third level of harassment”, NSCN claimed that the AR ask commuters their names, surnames/titles, tribes and even phone numbers.
It further alleged that “after going through each and every mandatory first, second and third levels of harassment, they started going to the extent of detaining commuters they chose for a longer period of time to apply the fourth level of harassment– stopping and checking one’s handbag/rucksack all of sudden whether one is on an auto rickshaw, a bike, a car or a passenger bus.”
NSCN (I-M) also alleged that at times, while stopping the bus, they would go over to check passengers randomly and tell any passenger to come down for “question and answer” on different pretext. “The fifth level comes when one travels alone in the evening or at night. That is when they frisk you and search your vehicle in the absence of any witness or companion,” it alleged.
NSCN (I-M) expressed concern and alleged that the AR personnel were checking and frisking commuters without following Covid-19 safety measures/SOPs despite the fact that they had the highest Covid-19 infection cases last year.
Stating that it was “foolhardy” of AR to play with the lives of commuters, NSCN (I-M) said the jawans continue with their checking in the name of doing their duties and instil fear psychosis to the inhabitants and commuters and make the commuters submit to their diktats.
“The AR intent to keep the encyclopaedia of the areas at their fingertips by deploying various and means and ways to counter and undermine further influence of NSCN as seen in the alarmed behaviour of the AR, NIA and MHA,” it added.
NSCN stated that all the raids against its members and establishments were done under the directions of the MHA.
It therefore, called upon government of India “to ensure that every clause of the Peace Agreement be respected by curtailing the disruptive activities of the AR against the common people in general and the NSCN in particular as the present activities of the AR in checking the commuters round the clock at Doyapur is completely against the ongoing and longest peaceful Political Negotiation.”
RELATED POSTS
View all
