Insurgency / Manipur

Imphal, March 27: The Nagaland Baptist Church Council, in a statement today stated categorically that the deputy commissioner, Chandel, Yambem Thamkishore, "should be released immediately without any harm done to him." The release also chided both the IRB and the NSCN(IM) cadres for causing the unnecessary and intolerable loss of human lives in the sorry episode. "Judging from media reports so far, the killing of the 11 NSCN(IM) cadres in Chandel District was needless and intolerable waste of human lives," it said. The NSCN(IM) cadres should have known better not to be riding around in a...

Imphal, March 27: With the abduction of Chandel DC Y Thamkishwor entering the tenth day today, the State leaders are stepping up their campaign for the release of the official. An all political party delegation is being sent to Delhi to press the Centre to take up steps for securing safe release of the DC. As part of the delegation, Revenue Minister E Biramani, Sekmai AC MLA N Biren and Chandel MLA BD Behring left for Delhi today. MP and MSCP president Th Chaoba and Arts and Culture Minister Dr M Nara are already camping in the nation capital. Chief Minister O Ibohi along with the two DPP MLAs...

Imphal, March 26: The United Naga Council, in a press statement today called upon the government of India and the NSCN(IM) to thrash out their differences without further delay to facilitate the safe release of Y Thamkishore Singh, DC Chandel, on humanitarian grounds. The statement signed by the UNC president, KS Paul Leo, also appreciated the selfless efforts of various social organizations based in Chandel in particular and others, for securing the release of the captive government official. The release further expressed serious concern "with the incident of March 16, 2002 at Pallel Bazar...

Imphal, March 26: An all political party meeting held today has discussed the situation arising out of the abduction of Chandel DC Y Thamkishwor and agreed to appeal to the NSCN (IM) to release the officer unharmed at the earliest. Chief Minister O Ibobi told reporters later at the Chief Minister's Secretariat conference hall that as reports from the NSCN monitoring cell in Dimapur had indicated their (NSCN) disinclination to hold talks with the State Government, negotiations for the release of^ the DC is going on at the Home Minister's level. He said till date there has been no direct...

Imphal, March 25: The Assam Rifles has strongly denied reports of harassment and assault of civilians in the areas of Khabam Lamkhai and Luwangsangbam in the wake of the March 21 bomb attach in which one AR personnel was killed and four injured. A statement issued by the Assam Rifles claimed that AR troops exercised extreme caution and restrain inspite of suffering casualties in the IED blast. It said the credentials of a few of the students of Liberal College were checked without causing any harassment since the locals confirmed of two boys moving under suspicious circumstances in the...

Imphal, March 25: Faced with no other option the State Government has decided to approach the Centre to secure the release of Chandel DC Y Thamkishore. This was decided during a Cabinet meeting held this evening, disclosed a highly placed source. The Cabinet meeting was held from 3.30 pm and stretched on till 6.30 pm and was presided by the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister recalled the various talks he had with the Union Home Ministry ever since the IAS officer was abducted by gunmen on March 18. However as law and order is a State subject the Centre had entrusted the entire responsibility...

NEW DELHI, March 25 ? Admitting that the abducted Deputy Commissioner of Manipur?s Chandel district was in their custody, the general secretary of NSCN(I-M) Th Muivah has set several pre-conditions for release of the official stipulating that if Government responds positively then the Deputy Commissioner would be released unharmed within the next few days. The Naga International Support Centre (NISC) quoting Muivah has demanded an immediate apology from the Government of India for the attack at Pallel in Chandel district in Manipur that led to killing of 11 NSCN (I-M) cadres. The general...

Imphal, March 24: Yambem ongbi Niroda, the distraught wife of the abducted official Y Thamkishore has fervently appealed to the gunmen who abducted her husband to release him safely and without any harm. Niroda who has been in Chandel since her husband was whisked away by the gunmen returned to Imphal today as the last seven days or so have not yielded any positive development. Speaking to newsmen at her Uripok Yambem Leikai residence this evening, the woman who has gone through sleepless nights and anxious moments said the abductors have so far not spelt out the reason why her husband was...

Imphal, March 24: Owing responsibility for the abduction of Chandel DC Y Thamkishore on March 18, NSCN (M) secretary general Thuingaleng Muivah said that the officer will be released unharmed if the Indian Government returns all the weapons seized from its cadres during the Pallel incident within the next few days. In an interview carried out by the Amsterdam based Naga International Support Centre (NISC) yesterday, the NSCN (IM) chief said ?the situation has been created by the armed forces of the Government of India. The GoI then must apologize for the treacherous attack and return all...

Imphal, March 23: A fear psychosis has gripped the residents of Khabam Lamkhai, Matai and Luwangsabam areas following intensified follow up activities taken up by the 12 Assam Rifles in the wake of the bomb blast which claimed the life of one AR personnel. Witnesses told reporters the AR personnels ransacked shops in the vicinity of Khabam Lamkhai bazar and ordered owners to down their shutters. Only some womenfolk were sighted in the area. The youths who were the main target of the securitymen?s wrath have reportedly shifted to safer places. DIG Khaute, IG Baral and SPs of Imphal east and...