Imphal, January 28: Referring to the ongoing tension and sporadic clashes between rival groups of the PREPAK, vice chairman Nongdrenkhomba has called upon the MPLF constituents - RPF and UNLF - to intervene and stop further escalation of violence in the true spirit of revolutionaries.

Rather than keep silent and remain mute spectator to the fratricidal killings, both the RPF and UNLF should advocate reconciliation of the PREPAK organisation failing which the cherished goal for launching revolutionary movements would remain a distant dream, said a statement issued by the outfit's vice chairman.

Terming the feud as unfortunate, he also observed that state of enmity currently gripping the rival groups of the organisation arose out of petty differences and ironically due to misinterpretation of the same aspiration for unity of underground organisations.

Abstaining from retaliation by the vice chairman group should not be construed as weakness but should be construed as deep concern to keep momentum of the sovereignty movement going and to avoid diluting the spirit of revolution, said the statement while reminding the PREPAK leaders and cadres of the hardships faced by all revolutionaries in sustaining the movement.

Firmly maintaining that the causes of the ongoing feud could still be not contemplated, Nongdrenkhomba recalled that the only difference that arose within the PREPAK was at the joint meeting with UNLF at a Sajik Tampak camp which centred on the proposal to unite the two organisations.

Elaborating on the meeting, the vice chairman said inspite of consensus on unifying the UNLF and PREPAK as MPLF at the March, 2003 congregation, he had only expressed the desire to consult the Red Army through a convention before disbanding PREPAK in contrast to the assertion of the general secretary and defence secretary to unification at the very spot.

As the discussion hotted up, charges like the vice chairman is against the spirit of unity were levelled by the general secretary to which the vice chairman's statement termed as immature and lacking sense of discussion as meetings accords equal rights to express respective opinion and not as a platform to take hasty decision.

Even though the UNLF representatives at the meeting also advocated unification of the two organisations, they nevertheless insisted on conveying their (UNLF) final decision after the party congress slated nine months later, reminded the vice chairman in reference to his own contention of consulting all PREPAK members including the Red Army cadres so as to create a congenial atmosphere and path of unification.

In the backdrop of the above discussion the difference is very minimal with the general secretary/defence secretary demanding immediate unification and the vice chairman merely insisting on giving some breathing space to all concerned, said the statement while asserting that such matter should not have been allowed to take the destructive proportion as is currently faced.

PREPAK always uphold the principle of unity and still believes in strengthening the MPLF whose other constituent member is the RPF, said the vice chairman recalling the elation among the general public on hearing report of formation of the umbrella body.

With the meeting ending inconclusively the vice chairman was scheduled to attend another session at Sajik Tampak on September 2003 the same year to resolve the KCP's factional crisis, expansion of PREPAK's central committee as well as the unification process, further said the statement.

Some distance from Sajik Tampak reports trickled out of the general secretary and the defence secretary having instructed some prominent members to bar entry of the vice chairman and had to head towards Moirang side before settling at a Chandel district area, said the statement.

Amid confusion among the Red Army cadres holed up at Sajik Tampak area on why the vice chairman had to station at Chandel instead of Sajik Tampak general secretary of UNLF proposed a meeting at Tamu of Myanmar on November 16 to patch up the PREPAK imbroglio.

While Nongdrenkhomba and the UNLF general secretary arrived for the meeting PREPAK's general secretary failed to show up for unknown reason, explained the statement and added that the very next day (Nov 17) reports were received of gunning down ten Red Army cadres besides a civilian in the Kumbi Haotak incident.

Rubbishing clarification issued by the defence spokesman describing the slain Red Army cadres as deserters and killing occurred in defense firing, the vice chairman's statement said such explanation is childish and logically unacceptable.

He also rebuked the defence spokesman claim that the assailants were deputed to rescue five cadres among the deserters who wished to return to Sajik Tampak group.

As charges and counter-charges flew fast and thick and occupied substantial space in daily papers sense of hatred never surfaced in the mind of the vice chairman who always believed that path of reconciliation is the only mean to discard suspicion, said the statement while endorsing that bickering and criticism in a healthy manner is the universal concept of organisations involved in revolutionary movement.

Also mentioning the Khordak Ichil incident wherein five Red Army cadres were slain, the vice chairman called upon the general secretary and defence secretary to introspect their agenda/conduct saying hatred and killing could never bring about solution to any problem.

PREPAK is neither afraid of adversary forces nor lack gun and manpower to avenge killing of its cadres but what concerns most to the organisation is wrath of the people without whose support and cooperation no revolutionary movement could advance, it said.

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