Zeliangrong Citizens Forum (ZCF) has vehemently condemned the unabated factional clash between cadres of “NSCN (I-M) and Zeliangrong United Front” in some parts of Tamenglong district, Manipur resulting in loss of lives, properties and severely affecting normal activity of the villagers.
In a press release, ZCF president Rangro Herie said despite appeals made Zeliang frontal organizations to the warring groups, the factional violence continues unabated. Villagers gripped with fear are unable to attend to their jhum fields and farms, particularly during the important seed sowing season, ZCF stated.
ZCF said this has led to increase in deployment of security forces in the area, adding “heavy militarization” has restricted free movement of civilians to other villages/towns for business and other social/economic pursuits. “Poor villagers are not able to venture into the forest for day to day livelihood for fear of unnecessary interrogation, frisking and detention”, it said.
ZCF in this regard, appealed to the warring groups “to chalk out their differences through dialogue and refrain from causing further harm and inconveniences to innocent villagers”. It also requested Manipur government “to beef up activities of good governance and instill confidence among the poor villagers”. Further, ZCF urged upon the Zeliangrong frontal organizations to actively pursue and ensure that normalcy is brought back at the earliest in the Zeliangrong region.