Senapati, November 04: The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR-South Sector) has accused the 1st Assam Rifles of using the innocent unarmed Sorbung villagers as human shield while clearing the undergrowth bushes at the ambush site of which the result being that three school going children got serious injuries due to the bomb blast at the place on Friday in Ukhrul district.

A militant group KYKL had carried out an ambush on the Assam Rifles at Sorbung under Ukhrul district few days ago killing three Assam Rifles personnel including a Major while injuring seven security personnel.

"The Assam Rifles�Friends of the hill people have done it again," exclaimed the Naga rights movement sarcastically.

Terming the use of the Sorbung villagers for the jungle clearance task by the Assam Rifles as forced labour the NPMHR-South Sector strongly condemned the "brute and inhuman acts of forced labour and using more than 140 unarmed innocent villagers of Sorbung including women and children as human shield.

"The cleansing exercised was carried out after the Sorbung village Authority headman and secretary were picked up from their respective homes and given a threat order for cleansing the road-sides bushes using unarmed and untrained innocent villagers with an intention to clear any unexploded bomb leftover or landmine planted along the road sides in the aftermath of the ambush reportedly launched by one proscribed armed group," narrated the Naga rights movement and termed the act of the Assam Rifles using the villagers for the work as "human shield which was without any wage for their labours, in total violation to the international and national guidance to all armed groups operating in the conflict areas".

NPMHR-South Convenor S Phamhring said, "To utter surprise, the Assam Riffles, self style Friends of the Hill People refused to extend their help to take the three injured identified as Ngathingpam Mangkung, aged 17, s/o M Jessie, class IX student of Junior Academy, Yuivah Sarang aged 15, s/o (Late) Rainang Sarang, class VI student of St.

George Don Bosco, Hungdung who were profusingly bleeding all over their body parts and Mahai Mangkung, aged 18, s/o Raingang, for medical treatment at Imphal.

The helpless villagers were refused vehicle for transportation, instead Assam Riffles personnel asked to borrow 20 litres of diesel to be repaid back within 10 days".

NPMHR further alleged that the district administration is left at the hand of paramilitary forces "who subjugates and unleaashes the reign of terror" to the innocent villagers.

NPMHR demanded that a appropriate and concrete measures be taken up to ensure the rule of laws "with full respect for the fundamental freedom and human rights principles" and to book all the guilty security personnel and guaranty to prevent recurrence of such incident.

NPMHR further demanded for adequate rehabilitation including medical treatments and compensation to the all the injured victims, payment of due and legitimate wages to all the victims of the forced labour.

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