Unrest in Manipur

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

IMPHAL, April 1: Peace is shattered in areas where the pro-peace groups have influence. In the latest incident, two Assam Rifles personnel were killed and one seriously wounded. In a fluke shot, one youth suspected to be one of the insurgents was killed. Prelimiry reports suggest that the deceased appeared to be a non-tribal. If it is true then it is clear that the ambush was carried out by valley based non-tribal outfit. The district where the encounter took place is Ukhrul, the home district of Thuingaleng Muivah, the general secretary of the NSCN(IM) which is engaged in talks with the Indian government all these years.

But there have been enough blasts and running gun battles in this district to show that peace was shattered.

One member of the ADC, Ukhrul was also assassited in this district. The government had deployed paramilitary forces to maintain law and order. However there was public protest following with the central government intervened and the state government had to withdraw the additiol forces. Mizoram is also back to a square one in the sense that after a long spell of peace now there is violence. Insurgents suspected to be members of HPC(D) had killed three policemen of the Mizoram Armed Police while  a team was escorting three MLAs. Following the signing of the Mizo accord between the MNF president Laldenga and the union government peace was restored. However rank and file were not amused since they were left holding the empty sacks. They said that the higher ups were looked after while they had to fend for themselves. It was nothing surprising that these disgruntled elements had started looking beyond the fence. The centre had started giving Rs 50 crore to the Mizoram government every year as peace bonus since the state does not have to spend anything on the counter insurgency operations. However how that the insurgents have started attacking the state forces this policy may be reviewed. The insurgents as a whole in the region are happy that most of the NE states have started burning. The corcom formed by six underground organizations had welcomed the way the NSCN(K) had abrogation of the ceasefire with the Indian government. Much bloodshed is in the offing.