Source: S Singlianmang Guite / The Sangai Express
Lamka, July 29 2009:
The Kuki armed group, Kuki National Organisation today openly denounced the State Government's decision to deploy police commandos and IRB in the hill districts of Manipur and said it smacks of the Government's sincerity on their peace deal with the Kuki people.
.The Cabinet had earlier decided to deploy comman dos and IRB in all the hill districts of Manipur.
"While administration of law and order comes under the purview of the police, it is absurd on the part of the Government to deploy po lice commandos and IRB personnel in thehill districts, where there has been no se rious law and order problem," said the KNO in a statement, likely to be the first anti-commando stand sounded by any armed group, despite the uproar of civil societies and student bodies in the hill districts.
Claiming that instances of police excesses, extra-judi cial killings, tortures, fake encounters, lootings etc in the name of counter counter insurgency abound, the KNO release said the series of protest rallies against ex cesses committed by the security forces in many Kuki-inhabited are the mani festation of people's resentment.
"The Govt's ill-advised, ill-conceived decision, much to the chagrin of the people, is meant to further terrorize the people, particu larly, the hill people, which is nothing but to exacerbate State sponsored terrorism in the guise of protecting law and order," it added.
"There are sufficient, if not innumerable personnel, of already deployed Central security forces in the hill districts," added KNO.
The Government should realize that the hill people shall not and cannot be at the mercy of its 'licence to kill' regime, it contended and maintained that, hence, Ibobi-led Govt's decision holds no substance as there is no rational justification to deploy such tainted 'lethal' forces in the hill districts of Manipur.
The KNO also appealed to all peace-loving individuals and civil societies to join hands together and fight against the irrational decision so that peace and tranquility prevail in Manipur.