More bloodshed feared in Manipur

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

IMPHAL June 7: While the state and the central forces seem to be groping in the dark,uble to pin down any of the armed insurgents who had killed 18 soldiers and wounded about 17 others in the ambuscade the buoyed leaders of the NSCN (K) have vowed to strike as and when there are chances.

In the daunting statement it is claimed that the ambuscade at Chandel district was carried out by three underground organisations. From time to time there have been reports of unification of several underground organisations in the NE region. It is believed that it was a joint operation and more are likely to follow.

The press statement issued by the NSCN(K) says that the gas donot accept the boundary imposed without the consent of the gas. It was only to be expected that once it had abrogated the ceasefire on April 27 there would be much bloodshed. Its cadres were believed to have shed blood in Kohima, Tamenglong district of Manipur and some parts of Aruchal Pradesh. In retaliation the combined state and the central forces could not exact revenge. After the Chandel ambush these gory details must have come to the notice of the prime minister, the home minister, the defence minister and other the NIA officials.

Though Lt Gen Rawat, commander of 3 Corps in Manipur strongly denied the charge that intelligence inputs were underplayed the NIA is looking into it. There has to be an explation as to why the personnel had walked into the death trap and why there was no befitting retaliation. It is also for the first time in Manipur that incendiary bombs were used liberally during the ambush. Till the filing of this report the combined forces have faialed to smoke out a single militant involved in the ambush and it has become increasingly clear nobody will be arrested. Reacting to the wide spread fear that they will be harassed during the combing operations army commanders have said that innocent persons wil not be harassed although the militants and their associates will not escape. There is a very thin line of division. And people are worried.