The Indian Army in a joint operation with Assam Rifles and Arunachal Police killed six rebels belonging to NSCN (IM) in Longding district. The NSCN-IM said it is outrageous for the Indian Army to vent out the frustration of their embarrassing confrontation with Chinese PLA by targeting the Naga Army, reports the ET.
NSCN-IM which is engaged in peace discussions with New Delhi said that this is the repeat of another state-sponsored terrorism against the ceasefire party.
“Longding district in Arunachal Pradesh inhabited by the Nagas is not far from the Indo-China border where India is having border dispute. There is reportedly heavy concentration of Chinese PLA soldiers in the disputed area. After the Galwan incident in June 2020 where more than 20 Indian Army personnel were killed by the Chinese PLA, this Longding killing of six Naga Army personnel by the ISF personnel may be understood to send the message across that Indian Army will not tolerate any forces who dare to come too close for comfort. It is, however, outrageous for Indian Security Forces to give vent their frustration to their humiliating encounter with Chinese PLA by targeting the Naga Army,” IM added.
The outfit questioned “What is Government of India trying to gain by targeting NSCN under any slightest pretext when its hands are full confronting the Pakistanis in the India-Pakistan border and the Chinese in Ladakh, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh?
The existence of NSCN should not be interpreted as a nuisance to India in any manner. And the prevailing Indo-Naga ceasefire signed between the GoI and NSCN is the standing evidence of Nagas’ goodwill towards India to live in peaceful coexistence. Indo-Naga Ceasefire of 1997 is for peace and political negotiation to bring permanent peace in Nagalim after mutually agreeing to accept the points of conflict taking into consideration the historical and political legitimacy of Naga movement.”
Accusing that its cadres were killed on the concocted ground that they were organizing a mischievous mission as claimed by the DGP of AP police, NSCN-IM stated it was a well planned and coordinated act of terrorism by the Indian Security Forces.
The Naga brave hearts were caught by surprise at the break of the day, overwhelmed from all sides. Giving them no chance to position themselves, they died fighting to the last man standing. Not satisfied with the killing, the security forces crossed all decency as they displayed vicious pleasure in displaying the maimed bodies and shoving them like dead animals.
In the battlefields, even enemy shows respect to fallen soldiers. This is the shameless manner of the Government of India (GoI) in dealing with National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) which is in a ceasefire agreement running more than twenty-three (23) years.
The signing of 3rd August 2015 Framework Agreement was a breakthrough in the Indo-Naga political talks. But the irony is when Government of India reneged. This is the crux of the Indo-Naga political talked which has remained in the doldrums.
The outfit stated in today’s highly sensitive world it is difficult to imagine ceasefire signed for the purpose of negotiating for an honourable political solution and military suppression going on side by side.
Significantly, this is the manner of the Government of India in dealing with the Nagas. The suppressive nature that GoI refused to part is the root cause complicating the 23 years of Indo-Naga political talks that has achieved much but honoured very little. NSCN is being driven to the wall after repeated provocation and aggression. The goodwill spirit of the ceasefire has been stamped to the ground. The ceasefire has lost its meaning because ceasefire can only make sense where there is mutual respect.
Earlier on a specific intelligence regarding the presence of armed cadres, Indian army quickly launched a joint operation in the area. P Khongsai, Public Relation Officer (Defence) Guwahati said, “On seeing the search column of troops, the insurgents opened a heavy volume of fire in a bid to flee from the spot. The troops retaliated with effective and accurate fire and in the ensuing firefight six cadres were neutralised while one soldier of Assam Rifles has been injured. The troops also recovered six Rifles and ammunition, IEDs and other warlike stores.”
Via: EconomicTimes
