Insurgency / Manipur

IMPHAL, May 21?Democratic People?s Party (DPP), a constituent of the six-party ruling secular progressive Front, today, demanded immediate withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 from Manipur reports PTI. DPP spokesperson R K Anand said in a statement that the time had come to review the removal of the act under which the state had been declared as ?disturbed area? and added that there could no military solution to Manipur problem. Anand claimed that the forces deployed under the act to deal with the insurgents had also ?started forgetting? that they had been deployed to aid...

Imphal, May 20: In a significant ruling a single bench of the Gauhati High Court today stayed the Government's order to shift the 7 MR from Khabeisoi to Taphou. The interim verdict was issued by Justice B Lamare on a writ petition filed by 52 personnel of the battalion challenging the order to shift the 7 MR unit from Khabeisoi to Taphou post. The order was issued by the State Home Department on May 9. The decision to shift the 7 MR Bn to Taphou was taken during a Cabinet meeting held on April 25. Taphou is in Senapati district. The Khabeisoi complex was then to be handed over to the 3 IRB as...

Imphal, May 17: Fifty-two personnel of 7 MR today challenged the state government's order directing the shifting of the battalion to Taphou, under Senapati before the Gauhati High Court. The order to shift the battalion, at present located at Khabeishoi, was issued by the home department on May 9 last. The counsels for the petitioners pleaded before Justice H Kaminikumar Singh for quashing the government's order. One of the five contentions submitted by the petitioners was that the state government had on an earlier instance, issued an order for shifting the 1st MR to Taphou. The government...

Imphal, May 16: Justice H Kaminikumar Singh of the Gauhati High Court, Imphal bench in an interim order today stayed the state government order which constituted the Upendra Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the arrest and death of Thingujam Dhirendra Singh. The chief secretary of Manipur issued the order on April 9 last constituting the commission. The High Court passed the interim order following a petition filed by jointly by the secretary, ministry of defence, IG Assam Rifles (N), commander 9 sector AR and CO 7 AR. The petitioner challenged the order of the state government on the ground...

KOHIMA, May 14 ? The NSCN (I-M) on Tuesday criticised the statements of Manipur?s United Council of Manipuris (UCM) on the current Naga peace talks and termed such observations as ?propaganda?, reports PTI. The Information and Publicity wing of the underground outfit, which is in talks with the Centre for finding an amicable solution to the vexed Naga problem, while describing the UCM ?outbursts? as ?most unhealthy and unwarranted? at a time when a peaceful solution is sought for, urged the council not to mislead the Meities and create animosity with the Nagas inhabiting in Manipur. In a...

Imphal, May 13: Personnel of the 7 MR today asserted that they are not unwilling to shift from the Khabeisoi location to Taphou but said there should be some justification behind their transfer. Charging that they were treated like unwanted elements by the State forces yesterday, the jawans said the matter could have been negotiated peacefully without the combined force swooping down at their Bn campus for their forced removal. They said that five women of the Family Line were hospitalized after they fainted at the actions of the combined force. The Bn campus was found surrounded by the...

IMPHAL, May 13 ? The refusal by 600 personnel of the 7th Manipur Rifles battalion to go on a transfer posting led to tension after they barricaded themselves and took up positions in the berracks at Khabeisoi on the outskirts of Imphal town Sunday, official sources said Monday, reports PTI. The sources said that the 7th battalion personnel transferred to Tahou in Senapati district by a government order, refused to leave and their family members prevented entry to the Director General of Police (Manipur) AA Siddiqui when he went there with a large force. The wooden bridge linking the...

Imphal, May 12: A security alert had been sounded from this afternoon after the personnel of 7th MR headquarters at Khabeisoi village under Heingang police station refused to have negotiations with the DGP and other senior police police officials regarding the orders to shift the headquarters to Taphou in Senapati district. The tension has since been defused late this evening after hectic negotiations, sources said. A release from the police department claimed that a team of senior police officers, led by the DGP AA Siddiqui, met with families of jawans of the 7th battalion MANipur Rifles...

IMPHAL, May 12 ? The underground Kuki National Front (military council-KNF-MC) has withdrawn its unilateral ceasefire against underground NSCN (I-M) as the latter?s unwillingness to improve the ?soured relations? between the two groups, a KNF (MC) statement said here Sunday, reports PTI. The statement said KNF (MC) had earlier declared unilateral ceasefire with the NSCN (I-M) to create an understanding between the two for future cooperation and general benefit. However, the statement alleged the NSCN (I-M) had often intruded into the KNF (MC) area and indulged in exchange of fire with the Kuki...

MOREH (Manipur), May 10 ? Indo-Myanmar border trade in this border town in Chandel district was severely affected due to non-plying of vehicles between Imphal and this border town following demand for ?heavy tax? from vehicle owners by underground NSCN(I-M), reports PTI. Sources in the police and Vehicle Owner?s Association said they would not ply vehicles unless adequate security arrangements were made by the State authorities. The NSCN(I-M) had served notices to all owners of vehicles plying along Imphal-Moreh National Highway No. 39 that unless tax was paid by them, they would not be...