Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 16, 2009:
Apparently miffed with the State Government clamping down its activities and taking into custody seven of its functionaries, All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) has demanded that State authorities refrain from levelling false charges to avert possible confrontation.
Reacting to the police claim with regard to initially apprehending eight AMUCO members on September 14 out of whom seven had been remanded to 15 days judicial custody, a publicity department statement of the body alleged that a sinister plot is hatched to project AMUCO in a bad light.
Elucidating, the statement said apprehending Y Jiten while the individual was about to leave for New delhi is condemnable as he was supposed to attend a routine session of the Indigenous Peoples' Forum, a unit of the United Nations, in his personal capacity.
Jiten had been associated with the Forum prior to joining AMUCO and continues to enjoy the relationship, the statement maintained while dismissing the police claim that AMUCO's office was raided on September 14 afternoon based on information of a joint meeting of AMUCO and COHR members with representatives of the proscribed RPF/PLA scheduled there.
Moreover, it is wishful thinking that a meeting involving banned UG group would be arranged in close proximity where there is presence of security personnel or in a public place like AMUCO office, it opined and outrightly rejected the contention that the meeting agenda included exerting pressure on the police force capitalising on the prevailing situation.
AMUCO also asserted that neither the seven persons detained nor the individual released soon after arrest had commented on what the police authorities have been insisting.
opining that prolonging detention of the arrested persons is a ploy to prepare concocted and flimsy report intent on maligning image of the organisation, the statement further contended that people would not digest fictitious claims of the police authorities.
It also stated that attempts are being made to discourage AMUCO from taking up people's cause which will never materialise as the AMUCO will never hesitate in either protecting territorial integrity of the State or initiating movement that concerns interest of the masses.
AMUCO also reminded that through its sustained endeavours territorial integrity of Manipur is being preserved without which O Ibobi Singh's command would have been limited to a mere 9-10 square kilometre.
Reiterating its demand for releasing the detained persons, AMUCO cautioned that failure to honour the proposal would compel the body to launch intense agitation along with the masses.