Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 17 2009:
ARMY AUTHORITY in Manipur has refuted the report of withdrawing all the Army units from Manipur leaving the job of CI Ops to Assam Rifles, sources said.
However top brass of 57 Mountain Division are still shy of making an open comment to media in this regard.
Major General Shakti Gurung, General Officer Commanding of the Division was not ready to give comment on it.
"I don't want to comment on it," the GOC said while replying to a question by mediapersons today.
Pointing at the red shield flag fluttering atop the flag pole in front of his office at Leimakhong, the Major General firmly said, "Our flag is still flying here".
On January 15, an Imphal based English newspaper quoting a reliable source had reported that New Delhi has decided to withdraw all the Army units from the State and leave the job of containing the insurgency movement to the Assam Rifles alone.
It also reported that all the seven Army battalions under 73 Mountain Brigade and 59 Mountain Brigade to be withdrawn from Manipur will be deployed along the Indo-Pak border as well as along the Indo-Sino border where tension is high, on the Western front following the terrorists attack at Mumbai in November last year.
The above two Brigades operate under the 57 Mountain Division based at Leimakhong, around 20 km north west of Imphal.
On being asked about his comment on prevailing law and order situation of the state, Major General Gurung made it clear that there's a sign of "improvement." He said people are supporting the security forces adding that people are fed up with militants' threat on public.
"People are really fed up" he said and added, "to bring normalcy in the state, it has to be a people's movement." Rounding up of a militant by villagers in the recent time is a good sign, the Major General said and added that such endeavor has to come from public.
He also rejected the question of having link between Manipur Insurgents and other international terrorists organisations." Sometimes we do get indication but there's no such report in reality" he informed.
The GOC also acknowledged the killing of many hard-core militants day by day in the state.
Regarding the ongoing Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the Kuki militants in the state, he said, it is good, it's a stepping stone to bring normalcy.
However action should be initiated if the groups concerned violate the agreement, he suggested.