Rights body contradicts AR claims on blast

Newmai News Network
Senapati, Nov 13: The Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR-South Sector) has come up with its side of the story on the recent blast in Ukhrul district.
NPMHR refuses to en-tertain claims of the Assam Rifles with regard to the re-cent Ukhrul district blast in- cident where three teena-gers were critically injured.
The Naga rights body stated that it was seriously concerned with the ‘despe-rate move’ of the 1st AR ‘to cover up violation of human rights’ perpetrated against Sorbung villagers including school going children and women by coming out with “concocted, unjustified and misleading” press clarification.

“The statement itself show the terrorized envi-ronment created to subdue innocent village folks of Sorbung and surrounding area in the aftermath of the ambush on their convoy. The notorious behaviour and track record of the In-dian security forces station- ed in India’s North East Re-gion toward innocent and unarmed civilians is a well documented fact especially in the aftermath of the armed clashes”, charged the NPMHR-South Sector.

It also said that the ‘co-wardly act’ of Assam Rifles was also clearly exposed by their press statement itself, “which claimed that the bush clearing works was carried out voluntarily” by the villagers. NPMHR added that the village head-man and the secretary were “ordered” to clear the bush-es near the road leading to the ambush side.

“Accordingly the village headman announced the or-der in the Church that every- one young and old, children and women must oblige the Assam Rifles’ order to work. Instead of performing their paid duty for safeguarding and clearing of unexploded explosive devices left beh-ind at the ambush site, the simple and ignorant villa-gers were forced upon to do the work,” alleged the NPMHR.

The rights group also alleged that “the panicked” Assam Rifles “in collusion with some villagers with vested interest” offered monetary assistance of a meagrely Rs 2000 each to families of the victims be-sides Rs. 4000 provided as wage for more than 140 school going children, young mothers and women and men of Sorbung villagers”.

Continuing with its allegation, the NPMHR said the “offer was made after all this inhuman and degrading treatment were condemned, exposed and put into public domain through the press. The testimony of the vic-tims, their family members and elders of the village are the evidence of the facts”.

NPMHR demanded for a thorough investigation tak-ing full confidence of the victims, family members and general public, and pu-nish the errant Assam Rifles officials and personnel in-volved, and repeal of laws/acts which are granting im-munity to “Indian armed forces”.