Insurgency / Manipur

IMPHAL, January 23: The residents of Yangoupokpi, a tiny Meitei hamlet on the Myanmar border in the Chandel district under the Tengnoupal police station, have abandoned the village after suspected Naga militants served a warning on the villagers to leave on the threat of the dire consequences. This was disclosed by five of the villagers who have since fled to Imphal, during a press conference held at the branch office of the All Manipur Social Reformation and Development Samaj at Singjamei Kshetri Leikai. According to the villagers, a large group of well-armed UGs, thought to belong to one of...

IMPHAL, January 23:In an incident that has no precedent in Manipur, altogether nine loaded oil tankers were set ablaze by suspected underground militants this morning on National Highway 39, at a place close to Karong in the Senapati district. The tankers, six carrying petrol, two high-speed diesel and one kerosene, were returning to Imphal after loading up at Kharkoti, near Tinsukia in Assam. Each tanker was carrying 10 to 12 kilolitres of oil. The All Manipur Petroleum Products Transporters Association has since decided to suspend all services indefinitely in protest against the incident...

IMPHAL, January 22: The Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup, KYKL (O), has owned up responsibility for the assassination attempt on the All Manipur Students' Union, AMSU, president, Kh Gourashyam, on January 17, in a press release today. The organisation however said it hit out against the UNLF and not the AMSU in targeting Gourashyam. It said it had made this intention of hitting at UNLF sympathisers and members in the AMSU clear earlier. It said it had also appealed to the public to identify these elements in the AMSU and to have them thrown out so as to re-establish the AMSU as a pure students' body...

IMPHAL, January 21: The powerful All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) has launched a Statewide mass condemnation month from today all over the State in protest against the attack on its president Khoirom Gourashyam inside the AMSU headquarter on January 17 by some armed youths. The Statewide mass condemnation month will be in effect till February 17 next. The students body has also set January 30 as the deadline for clarification from revolutionary groups operating in Manipur on the attack. Disclosing this to a group of mediapersons, the general secretary of AMSU Premananda Yumnam said that the...

IMPHAL, January 20: The General Officer Commanding of the 57 Mountain Division, Major General Iqbal Singh has asserted that the prevailing situation, both in Manipur and in the southern part of Assam, is improving these days compared to the past. The Major General was at the historic Kangla Fort in Imphal for a few hours despite his heavy schedule at Mashimpur Army headquarters in Cachar district of Assam, to attend a flag-of ceremony of an excursion trip of Manipur students to three major cities of the country. During a brief interview with The Assam Tribune on his arrival here, the GOC 57...

IMPHAL, January 20: Opposition parties in Manipur are going to oppose any move of the Central Government regarding extension of ceasefire between the Government of India and the banned National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) in any part of Manipur. A delegation of the Manipur Democratic Front (MDF), the combined front of the Opposition of the State, will pressurise the Centre not to extend the ceasefire agreement to any Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur. This was informed by the leaders of the Opposition during a press conference hold at the Speaker's bungalow on Friday evening. The...

IMPHAL, January 19: Hundreds of students today staged sit in protest at all main roads of the city against the attack on AMSU president Kh Gourashyam by unidentified gunmen inside the AMHU HQ located at the campus of DM College on January 17. Gourashyam who is also the president of the Manipur University Students' Union, MUSU, is recuperating at the JN Hospital security ward. Doctors had declared him stable. Sit in protests were held near Johnstone Higher Secondary School, Chingmeirong Khongnang Ani Karak, Singjamei, Wangkhei and in front of Human Resource Development Academy, Ghari and Little...

IMPHAL, January 18: The 24 hour bandh called by the All Manipur Students' Union, AMSU, in protest against the assassination attempt on AMSU president Kh Gourashyam seriously affected life in Imphal east and west districts, but had relatively lesser affected elsewhere in the state. No major untoward incident was reported during the strike, which began at midnight, though some old tyres were set ablaze on the road at Uripok, Yaiskul and Lamphel this morning by some bandh supporters. On the other hand, most educational institutions, including schools, colleges and Manipur University remained shut...

IMPHAL, January 18: Normal life was crippled in this border State following a 24-hour general strike called by the powerful All Manipur Students Union (AMSU), an apex students' body in Manipur. The general strike came into force from the midnight of January 17 and it will continue till midnight of January 18. The strike has been called in protest against the attempt on the life of AMSU president Khoirom Gourashyam by some unknown armed youths on Wednesday afternoon, while he was sitting in his room in AMSU headquarters. Even though the general strike was announced barely two hours after the...

GUWAHATI, January 17(UNI): The ceasefire with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) is likely to be extended to all Naga areas of the Northeastern region. A crucial meeting of the Chief Ministers of Northeastern region, besides that of Nagaland was being convened shortly to take the final decision, said the Joint Secretary of the Union Home ministry, GK Pillai. The July 1997 ceasefire with the rebels had been extended till July 31 with revised ground rules debarring the NSCN cadres to carry arms to all populated areas, besides there would be no safe havens. This was decided after...