Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 19 2009:
Joining the public outcry against the brutal murder of Kasom Khullen SDO and his two staff, the Manipur Naga Revolutionary Front (MNRF) has denounced the act as inhuman and beastly.
In a press release issued by its information and publicity secretary C Rocky, the outfit condoled demise of the three employees and shared the grief and anguish of the bereaved families.
Observing that the NSCN (IM), under ceasefire pact with the Government of India, is considered as the strongest and leader of many UG groups of the North East region, the MNRF remarked that it would be most unfortunate if the people's suspicion of NSCN (IM)'s involvement in the gruesome murder turns out true.
Alleging that several untoward activities have been committed under guidance/instruction of the NSCN (IM) in the past, the MNRF noted that the people of Manipur are unable to repose faith in each other even as it is said that all the people of Manipur are brothers and sisters.
As such, there exists a distance in the minds hill and valley people and between Nagas and Kukis.
Conveying suspicion that the recent murder of the young SDO and his two staff might have been committed to derail the ongoing people's campaign of restoring the fraternal bond among all ethnic groups of Manipur, it urged the Government to book and punish the culprits accordingly at the earliest.
In case it turns out that the NSCN (IM) was behind the gruesome murder, the Government of India and Government of Manipur should be held accountable for the heinous crime, it asserted.
Even as it is known for quite a long time that administration in hill districts is controlled by UG groups/NSCN, both Government of India and State Government have been giving a free hand to the rebels without any concern thereby causing great hardships to the people.
With the Government allegedly acting as mute spectator to all excesses committed by NSCN (IM), people are literally living under two governments in hill districts.
Observing that it's time to redress and rectify all the wrongdoings and misdeeds, the MNRF called upon the people to shed the attitude of 'mine' and adopt a collective approach of 'ours'.