Deeply concerned over Wednesday\u2019s \u201cunprovoked firing\u201d by the 23 Assam Rifles upon a group of NSCN (I-M) activists between Godah and Shakok villages under Phungyar Police Station in Ukhrul district where one activists was killed, the Tangkhul Naga frontal organizations have started a non-co operation movement against the government of India from 6 pm Friday until their \u201cphysical and emotional security\u201d was guaranteed and ensured. A memorandum was also submitted to the prime minister in this regard.\nThe Tangkhul organizations in a joint statement said they were also \u201cdeeply aggrieved\u201d by the \u201ccold-blooded murder\u201d of the NSCN (I-M) activist, Salmon Hungyo, aged about 28 years, of Chahong village, by the Assam Rifles after being arrested and tortured near the site of the incident.
\nThe Tangkhul frontal organizations included Tangkhul Naga Long (Tangkhul Hoho), Tangkhul Shanao Long (Tangkhul Women\u2019s League), Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (Tangkhul Students Union), Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long (Tangkhul Youth Council), Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long (Tangkhul Village Chiefs Association) besides the Naga People\u2019s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR).
\nMourning the \u2018demise of our peace\u2019 and physical security and to resist the move towards violence, the six organizations said that the Tangkhul people numbering almost 20, 000 marched to the residence of the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul and submitted a memorandum to the prime minister of India through the DC on Friday.
\nAmong others, the memorandum also demanded from the prime minister to clarify once and for all whether there was cease-fire in Naga areas outside Nagaland.
\nThe Tangkhuls demanded for immediate stop to the current operations being carried out in the area and to immediately withdraw Assam Rifles, \u201cFriends of the Hills People\u201d from Ukhrul district. They further demanded the prime minister to ensure and guarantee the safety and well being of the population of the area.
\nThe five Tangkhuls organizations in the joint statement signed by their respective presidents and the Coordinator NPMHR said they saw the incident as a disturbing development and as an effort to destabilize and butcher the hard-earned peace and stability in the region. They said such incidents, instead of resolving problems would further exacerbate, promote, and feed violence.
\nThe Tangkhuls said they were disappointed by the callous attitude of the Assam Rifles in preventing the civil societies from visiting the villages affected by the incident on Wednesday. They asserted that a team of civil society leaders including representatives of the United Naga Council, Manipur, North East Indigenous Women Forum, Tangkhul Naga Long, Tangkhul Shanao Long, etc were stopped from proceeding further at Shakok village by the CO 23 Assam Rifles.
\nIt was also mentioned that the Phungyar Block had been declared as a drought hit area by the government. The six organizations, however, alleged that the Assam Rifles in Shangshak village prohibited food supplies from being taken to the villages and said it was a blatant violation of the fundamental right to food, security, and physical wellbeing.
\nThey alleged that the Assam Rifles personnel have also cut the Optical Fibre Cables (OFC) at Hundung Cement Factory, the only existing means of communication from Ukhrul to other parts of country. \u201cThis is illegal and calls for stringent punishment,\u201d the statement added.
\nThey said that the August 12 incident violated the fundamental right to personal and emotional security and had put a huge number of populations in the area at risk.
\nIt claimed that a large number of villagers who were in their paddy fields, in hunting grounds, etc were unable to return to their villages as a result of the incident. The Tangkhul organizations also drew attention to the \u201cmost uncalled for and unacceptable harassment\u201d of the public in many villages in Phungyar block who have been restricted from moving out of their house. \u201cThere are still many individuals, who were carrying out their normal course of daily activities, whose whereabouts are still not known,\u201d they said.
\nIt was also alleged that random bombings by Assam Rifles in civilian areas were taking place, particularly in and around Godah, Shakok, Loushing, and Loushing Khunthak villages under Phungyar Police Station in Ukhrul district, Manipur. The Tangkhuls organizations said such bombings went against all the accepted fundamental principles, norms, and foundations upon which the Indian Republic was founded and in international norms and conventions.
\nThey appealed the district authorities to immediately ensure and guarantee the personal and physical security of the villagers. It further demanded from the Government of India to properly ensure the compliance and conformation to the ceasefire ground rules in the larger interest of stability and peace in the region.
\nThe joint statement was signed by the presidents of TNL, Stephen Angkang; TSL, A. S. Dina; TKS, Wungnaoshang A. Shimray; TMNL, Zanyo Varam; TNWL, Kaphungkan K. Shimray and NPMHR coordinator, Alung Rungsung.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"