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09/10/2009: "NSCN-IM fumes at Peace Package reports Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network"

NSCN-IM fumes at Peace Package reports
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Dimapur, Furiously reacting to a PTI report based in New Delhi on September 7 under the heading, 'Naga peace peace package be ready by November', the Isak-Muivah group of the NSCN today said that 'the Joint Council Meeting' of the outfit seriously views the news item. In a statement issued to Newmai News Network tonight here, the NSCN-IM termed the report as 'anti-thesis' to the bilateral agreement signed between the outfit and the Government of India in 1997. The NSCN-IM seriously views the news item carried by local dailies regarding the proposal of the Home Ministry of India to "offer the package to the different Naga groups by November, if it reflects the opinion of the present UPA Government to settle the Indo-Naga issue, an anti-thesis to the bilateral agreement signed between the NSCN and the Government of India in 1997 and therefore not acceptable to the Naga people".

The statement of the Naga outfit said the NSCN-IM entered into the current Indo-Naga ceasefire and the political negotiations after intense parley with the officials sent by the Prime Minister of India.
The NSCN-IM claimed that at the beginning the 'Collective Leadership of the NSCN' was hesitant to be persuaded that the Prime Minister of India was really sincere to find a peaceful negotiated settlement to the Indo-Naga issue. In the past the policies of the Government of India towards the Nagas were short of sincerity and respect, it added and said, It was only after the landmark meeting on June 12, 1995, in Paris between the then Indian Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and the Collective Leadership of NSCN where-in Narasimha Rao said: "I believe in political solution.

We must solve the problem through political talks and dialogue.
We should be patient enough and tolerant in tackling the problem", the Collective Leadership of the NSCN agreed to declare ceasefire and start political negotiation with the Government of India (GOI) after both the parties agreed in unambiguous terms that the talks shall be without conditions from both sides; the talks shall be at the highest level ie, at the Prime Minister level and the venue of the talks would be anywhere outside India".

Keeping the Nagas divided and seeking solution through imposition of Indian will on the Nagas is never a sign of political maturity of the Indian leadership.

The application of colonial 'divide and rule' policy by the Indian state towards the Nagas would create more problems for India than solving it, the NSCN-IM lamented.
"Indo-Naga problem is that of forced occupation of Nagalim by India and it cannot be resolved through social, economic and cultural packages.
After killing hundreds of thousands of our people, molesting and raping our mothers, sisters and daughters, after burning down our villages, is it possible on the part of the Nagas today and tomorrow to bargain our birth right with economic largesse from Delhi? It is simply not acceptable to the Nagas rather it is an insult and amounts to adding salt to the open sores," fumed the NSCN-IM statement.

It then stated that the inherent right as well as democratic aspiration of the Nagas to live together under one administrative roof as one family cannot be compromised to please the interest of Indian people whether for the better or the worse, whether for the richer or the poorer.

"There is no logic in inviting the various other groups while the political talk is continuing with the NSCN which is the only mandated political organization to negotiate with the Government of India.

And when the political negotiation is going on at the highest Prime Ministerial level any proposal to come in the form of this or that package from the Home Ministry level itself is making a mockery of their Prime Minister's Office and we find no wisdom in their approach. We believe that the Government of India will not be so naive to make such an approach to settle the Indo-Naga issue," sarcastically said the NSCN-IM.
60 Nagaland MLAs stand unitedly for Naga issue Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Kohima, September 09, 2009: In a historic step towards resolving the decades old Naga political issue, all the 60 members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) have unanimously decided to shun all political party differences and work as 'one'.

The decision was taken during the first ever meeting of all Legislators of the 11th Nagaland Legislative Assembly 'On Naga Political Issue'held on Tuesday in the Conference Hall of Assembly Secretariat in Kohima under the chairmanship of the assembly Speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie and attended by 58 legislators, except MLAs Tarie Zeliang and Torechu on health ground.

The meeting was totally closed door and lasted for almost eight hours.

Rajya MP from Nagaland, Khekiho Zhimomi also attended the meeting.

Talking to NNN over phone on Wednesday Nagaland Home Minister, Imkong L.Imchen revealed that the legislators also resolved to hold another meeting and entrusted the NLA Speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie; Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Opposition Leader Chingwang Konyak to work out modalities on how they should go about in extending support towards resolving the long pending Naga political issue.
DAN-initiated common Naga platform unnecessary: Cong PTI
Kohima, Sept 10 (PTI) The Nagaland unit of Congress today said formation of another social body to act as facilitator to Naga peace process at this juncture is unnecessary as Forum for Naga Re-conciliation (FNR) has done a commendable job on peace front in the state.

The proposed Common Naga Platform initiated by the ruling DAN alliance was not necessary at this juncture as it would invite intrusion of "political disease" into social system and bring further fragmentation and division in the Naga society, Congress state president K V Pusa said in a statement.

Stating that the FNR was rendering "incredible and worthy service" in bringing Naga underground groups together in "a true Christian belief and principle", Pusa said factional killings had come to a halt due to the forum's initiatives.
Unification key to Naga peace talks OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph


Kohima, Sept. 9: Both factions of the NSCN today said a decision on whether they would share the same table for talks with the Centre would depend on the course the ongoing unification process takes.
“It is too early to speak our mind on the issue” was the common refrain.
The Centre has stated that eventually both the groups will have to come together for talks to hammer out a solution to the decades-old Naga political problem. “After all, we can’t have multiple solutions to cater to the wishes of the various groups,” a Union home ministry official said.
The two groups — Isak-Muivah and Khaplang — also reiterated that they would unite only on the basis of the “principle of Naga nationalism” without compromising on “sovereignty”.
But both the factions have high hopes of coming together with the initiative of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR).
In a recent Naga reconciliation meeting, the NSCN groups agreed on a meeting at the highest level where NSCN (I-M) chairman Isak Chishi Swu, general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, NSCN (K) chairman S.S. Khaplang and general secretary Kitovi Zhimomi will participate.
“Nagas are undivided and unequivocal in our stand for national liberation and no settlement with either India or Burma would be made at the cost of Naga political principle lest it triggers more bloodshed in our land,” the ministry of information and publicity of the NSCN (I-M) said.
Sources said the Centre is working out a peace package for the Naga insurgent groups to find a solution to the Naga political problem within the ambit of the Constitution.
The package, which will include financial largesse, greater devolution of powers and special steps for the protection of Naga culture and heritage, will be placed before the groups by November.
The Opposition Congress today stressed on the need to have a “common voice of Nagas” for finding an “acceptable and honourable” solution to the problem.
PCC president K.V. Pusa said all factions should come together before any solution was hammered out and underground and overground groups must speak unitedly before the Centre.
He said “unity and oneness” were the only avenues to solve the protracted Naga problem and Naga legislators were working out modalities to achieve this and push forward the Naga peace process.
The MLAs had held a closed-door meeting for over eight hours yesterday to chart a roadmap so that Naga militant groups could unitedly participate in the peace talks.
Sources said the next round of meeting would be convened soon. Chief minister Neiphiu Rio, leader of the Opposition Chingwang Konyak and Peseyie has been entrusted to work out the modalities for the meeting.
Protest against intrusion A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph
Guwahati, Sept. 9: Activists of the All Assam Students’ Union will form a human chain along the Assam-Nagaland border in Sivasagar district tomorrow, demanding immediate steps by Dispur to stop regular attempts by Naga villagers to intrude into the state’s territory.
The decision was taken a day after some villagers from Nagaland accompanied by policemen from that neighbouring state put up a banner that read: “Welcome to Mon district” 3km inside Assam in the Bihubor area.
The students’ union would enforce an economic blockade against Nagaland if people from the adjoining state continued to create problems in the border areas, adviser to the Sivasagar district of AASU, Kushal Saikia, said.
The Bihubor-Santak road in Sivasagar connecting Mon district of Nagaland is the lifeline for the Mon residents as essential items from Assam are ferried on this route.
“The border will soon witness violence unless immediate measures are taken by the Assam government,” Saikia said.
Saikia alleged that Nagaland policemen yesterday fired several rounds in the air when a group of students from Assam tried to dismantle the banner.
“It was very unfortunate that Assam police personnel were mute spectators and did not resist them from putting up the banner inside Assam’s territory.”
Saikia alleged that criminal elements from Nagaland extort money regularly from the owners of several stone and sand quarries located in the border areas.
“Now the situation has come to such a pass that the people of Nagaland have started thinking that the land where these quarries are located belong to them.”
Message on NPMHR’s 31st foundation Nagaland Page
Thirty one years down the line, on the 9th of September 1978, the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) was formed based on the universal belief that; "violation of human rights in any part of the world is a threat to the human race as a whole and protection and promotion of human rights anywhere is a concern of all", and declared to take upon itself the task of initiating organized struggle to protect and promote the basic human rights of the Naga people.
It was at a time when Indian Military personnel were waging war on the Naga including school going children and aged women in the background of a more than 25 years of gross human rights violation on the Naga population where repressive methods such as:- Execution in public; Mass rape, Deforming sex organs; Mutilation of limbs and body; Electric shocks; Puncturing eyes; Hanging people up-side down; Putting people in smoke-filled rooms; Burning down of villages, granaries and crops; Concentration camps; Forced starvation and labor etc…. were going on indiscriminately, unknown and unreported even to the people in India let alone the rest of the world. To further prove the intention of the Government of India, the then Prime Minister of India, Mr. Morarji Desai came to Kohima and declared; "I will exterminate all the Nagas and I will not have any compunction". The realities of India's position on the Naga's historical and political rights have not changed even today.
In such a situation, armed with nothing, but with sheer determination to survive as a people, NPMHR, with the support of the suffering masses and warm understanding of fellow Indian Democratic Rights and Civil Liberties movements, took up litigations in the Supreme Court of India and in High Courts, to challenge and expose these atrocities that have been perpetrated on fellow human beings by the Government of India. We won some but many more kept stalled by the judiciary of the "world's largest democracy". In the process the international community is no more as ignorant about the Nagas as India would have wanted. On several occasions, our leaders and elders have spoken about our situation in many international meetings and forums, including the United Nations meetings held at its various HQs of Vienna, Geneva, New York, etc. in the past decades. India was also called up and questioned by the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Today, NPMHR is proud to say that it has also been a "close follower" of the 2nd Indo-Naga Peace Process ever since it started in 1997. In this endeavor, we also responded on any given situation which demanded our presence or interventions. We also took extra steps to patch-up differences between our National leaders who were estranged in their working relationships due to reasons beyond their control. Today we are also proud partners with the many Naga civil society organizations, churches and well-meaning individuals, who have managed to narrow down the wide chasm between our Naga national groups. The end result may still be awaited… but the countdown to "our own Nation-building" may have begun.
On this occasion of the 31st Foundation day of the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), we would like to re-iterate that, human kind have made history through the struggle for freedom from exploitation and subjugation, and that NPMHR as a human rights organization stands committed for realization of this effort no matter what it takes. Towards this, we also extend our fullest support and solidarity with all struggling peoples and Nations whose rights and freedom are being suppressed by dominant communities and nation states. In this same light, we also implore upon the international communities and the various agencies of the United Nations to re-invigorate their mechanism in monitoring the over-all human rights situation in the Naga areas which have once again become vulnerable in the backdrop of a ceasefire that has continued for more than 12 years without intention to seek solutions but only to undermine the basic human rights of peoples who seek to protect and preserve their own natural identity.
NPMHR once again re-affirms its submission to the United Nations through the occasion of the International Year of the World's Indigenous People, the three basic element that will determine the success or failures of any kind of political settlement, which are :-
Ø The right to live together as a people through unification of all Naga areas,
Ø The right to be free from the clutches of occupational forces, and
Ø The right to have the United Nation's recognition of the Naga country as a sovereign nation.
Dr. Neivetso Venuh, Secretary General, NPMHR

Noisy Peace! By Suruchi Gupta
Kolkata Mirror Find out what school students have to say about peace



It’s not just politicians who talk about peace, children do it too, and creatively. In 2007 PeaceWorks, an initiative of The Seagull Foundation for the Arts (SFA), invited students from schools in India and Pakistan to write a story on the theme of ‘peace’ and got an overwhelming response.

The best twenty entries were published and launched in the form of a book - Stories for Peace - on September 8 at G D Birla Sabhaghar. Four of these students were present at the launch to receive a copy of the book from members of rock-n-roll band, The Supersonics, who also did a gig at the do.

“PeaceWorks is a project that works with arts to educate communal harmony and learning to live with difference and conflict resolution,” said Megha Malhotra of SFA.

The book, priced at Rs 250 contains stories from students of schools likeSalamat Girls ICAS, Lahore, Karachi High School, Karachi, Raja Rammohan Roy Academy, Dehradun and The British School, New Delhi.




“I have written about a man living on borders of Manipur and Nagaland. Manipur has some Naga tribes living on its territory, and Nagaland wants to get hold of those parts. Certainly Manipuris don’t want their districts to go to Nagaland. This is a relatively unknown known issue, thus I picked it up and spun a tale around it. India, Pakistan, America, Afghanistan we all know about it, but this one’s different. So I cooked up a story and talked about how a man has been made a scapegoat by government,” said Ananya Dixit, an ex South Point student of her story Peace A Myth.

While science fiction lover Brithwish Nath, a student of National Gems, Kolkata, weaved a story on how humans will take inspiration from robots who have gained mind, Damini Agarwal went all out with her ideas and made George Bush and Osama Bin Laden friendsin her story The White City!

The rock concert was a pleasant surprise for the children. Probably no one in the audience of about 30 people knew the names of the band members but enjoyed the music nonetheless.




“I liked the vocalist,” said another writer, Devki Ghose, while many others praised the guitarist Rohan Ganguly.

The Supersonics support the cause of PeaceWorks and are recently back to their home-town after a promotional campaign tour of their debut album Maby Baking. “We play only original numbers that speak of life in Kolkata and in general. Though there is no theme in our album, there is a sonic thread running through it. Seagull had sponsored a bit of our tour so in support of that we did this gig for them,” said vocalist Ananda Sen.

So how will peace come about? “I don’t know how that will happen, but this was noisy peace,” said a member of audience spiritedly referring to the evening, which she enjoyed, courtesy, the band!

Photo: Dipanjan Ghosh

kolkata.mirror@gmail.com


Assam-Nagaland border dispute flares up Bonnie Konyak Morung Express
September 9 | Naginimora (Mon) : The Assam and Nagaland border dispute along the Naginimora ADC headquarter in Mon district and Bihubor town in Sibsagar district in Assam has escalated in the past 48 hours almost ending in tragedy. In the light of the new development, citizens of Naginimora observed a daylong strike in the town on September 8 and held a public meeting. The meeting initiated by the Naginimora Konyak Students’ Union (NKSU) and the Konyak Union of Naginimora decided take up the matter with the higher authorities but at the same time asked the public to be prepared for any eventuality.
The whole incident began on September 7, when the Sibsagar Students’ Union, along with the Assam media, crossed the border and entered the Naga areas to stage a noisy protest just outside the Nagaland police gate. The Sibsagar students burnt effigies, reportedly of the Assam Border minister, and put up banner that read ‘Welcome to Sibsagar district’ in Nagaland.
Assam students threaten economic blockade Meanwhile, Wakching Area Students’ Union (WASU), which was in Naginimora to discuss the ILP issue with the NKSU, accidentally happened to reach the scene of protest, following which an argument ensued between the two student unions.
According to the WASU president Longme Konyak, the Sibsagar students led by their union’s general secretary, claimed that the entire ‘border dispute’ area and the land beyond the disputed area stretching to about 1 kilometre till the Nagaland police gate belongs to Assam. They even threatened to call an economic blockade on Naginimora/ Nagaland. However, the Konyak students asserted that they merely sent the Assam students with a warning to keep the protest and activities on their side of the border.
Hence, the strike and meeting were called on September 8 in Naginimora. However, enraged by the continual provocation from Assam, local boys from Naginimora went to the disputed area and put up similar banners saying ‘Welcome to Nagaland’. The Assam police retaliated by firing at the boys, while the Assam media claimed that the local boys were accompanied by the “undergrounds.”
Meanwhile, the district administration in Naginimora maintained that public records of the said land belonging to the Konyak Nagas still exist in the form of an agreement between the tea estate company (not Assam government) and the local Konyaks. The agreement signed in 1978 is that of an extension of the tea garden area for which the company pays tax of Rs.4, 222 annually to the Naginimora town administration. Receipts of the tax paid till 2008 is in possession of the town administration. The agreement clearly states that the low-lying areas including paddy fields already developed by the local Nagas will remain in the possession of the local people. Another document in which the Nagaland government granted permit also exists in the ADC office of Naginimora.
The EAC of Naginimora Chingak Konyak informed that earlier on September 1, Assam administration led by the SDO (Civil) of Nazira, Assam police and the CRPF had entered the area in question and halted some work of a local landowner. The EAC along with Naginimora police had sent them back for admonishing them for entering the area without notifying the Nagaland administration. However, the EAC has expressed concern for the security of the local people especially with the CRPF – which is a central force – taking active role along with the Assam police.
Chingak Konyak disclosed that he had already sent an application to the Deputy Commissioner of Mon about the need for more security personnel in the area but added that at least one company of NAP (IR) might be required to remove any threat on the public. In addition, the WASU president said that the Naginimora police was found to be acutely lacking in adequate arms and ammunition due to which they were reduced to “spectators” while the Sibsagar students were protesting outside the Nagaland gate on September 7. He called on the concerned area representatives and the state government to seriously tackle the issue else the public would have to take the matter into their own hands.
Why are State & Central governments silent? : Nagas continue to encroach Asom land From our Correspondent Sentinel
JORHAT, The unabated encroachment of Asom land by the Nagas has been continuing due to the silence being maintained by the Tarun Gogoi-led State Gover-nment. The encroachment has turned into a serious concern at Bihubar and Geleki under Nazira subdivision of Sivasagar district. Following a clash between a Naga group and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) activists yesterday, the Naga encroachers have erected a signboard — ‘Welcome to Mon district’ — at Ougurijan on Asom soil under the very nose of the Assam Police.
Protesting the mysterious silence of the Asom Government as well as the Centre over the matter and illegal encroachment by the Naga people, the AJYCP observed statewide ‘black day’ today and announced a protest torch rally in the Ougurijan area along the Asom-Nagaland border on September 12. The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Sivasagar district unit has also announced a ‘human chain protest’ tomorrow against the silence of the State and the Central governments over the inter-State disputes.
The State Government had assured the people residing near the border of setting up well-equipped border outposts (BOPs) and police stations along the border areas of Geleki and Bihubar in 2007 when two Asomiyas had been killed by Nagas, but the assurance is yet to be fulfilled. There are three BOPs and a police outpost in the Bihubar area in the vicinity, but these are only in names. The outpost does not even have a running vehicle. Taking advantage of such lapses on the part of the Asom Government and the State police force, Naga people have occupied Asom soil. The Naga people have occupied over a three km-radius area of Asom land in the Geleki and Bihubar areas, the local people alleged. The local people alleged that the police engaged on duty in the area have been collecting money from the stone quarries of Dikhow river without paying attention to encroachment by Naga encroachers.
Night curfew along Asom-Nagaland border From our Correspondent Sentinel
JORHAT, Sept 9: The Additional District Magistrate of Jorhat by an order imposed the section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the town and night curfew along the Asom-Nagaland border to be effective from today till further order issued, stated a press release.
Therefore, in exercises of power conferred upon under section 144 of CrPC, the people shall abstain from forming assembly of five or more persons with common object of picketing or taking out procession, holding any meeting at public places through fare by public.
The order also said that, the people are abstained from carrying and possessing of explosive or lethal weapons including lathies, stones, bows and arrows or any instrument that can be used as weapons to cause obstruction or injuries to a person or public properties etc., holding of meeting rallies, taking out processions or shouting out slogans on road or public places and shouting or abusing any defamatory slogans against State or any person, group of persons or organizations in any meeting procession or rallies.
The order also refrained publishing and displaying of objectionable posters, placards, cartoons, effigies, wall writing etc. at any rate through fare or other places, visible to public individually or collectively.
Posting posters and writing on Government buildings, private buildings and wall signboards on the building, transport and through fare in public places. Collection and subscription, donation, etc. to any person, organizations and printing of any appeal to contribute purpose without due authority.
People are also abstained from riding without helmets in motorcycle or two wheelers and pillion riding in the back seat, except ladies and children.
The order also imposed the night curfew along Asom-Nagaland border from 6 pm to 5 am per day.
It may be mentioned here that, the order shall not be applicable to any CRPF personnel in uniform, police on duty and refrain in force with immediate effect, the order added.
Proposed package unacceptable: NSCN-IM (EMN)
‘Indo-Naga problem cannot be resolved through social, economic and cultural packages’
DIMAPUR, SEPT 9): Breaking its silence after three days with the rebuttal ‘not acceptable to Naga people’, the NSCN-IM today termed the Union Home Ministry’s Naga peace-package-offer as an ‘insult’ and an ‘antithesis to the bilateral agreement signed between the NSCN and the GoI in 1997.’
Reacting to the fresh developments in the Indo-Naga political issue, a press statement issued by the ‘Ministry of Information and Publicity (MIP)’ of the NSCN-IM stated that offering the peace package to different Naga groups contradicts the bilateral agreement and is illogical as NSCN-IM is the ‘only mandated political organisation to negotiate with the GoI.’
‘There is no logic in inviting the various other groups while the political talk is continuing with the NSCN which is the only mandated political organisation to negotiate with the GoI’, the MIP release stated while stressing that it would not be acceptable to the Naga people.
The NSCN-IM also stated that the Indian leadership is not showing signs of political maturity by ‘keeping the Nagas divided and seeking solution through imposition of Indian will on the Nagas.’
‘The application of colonial ‘divide and rule’ policy by the Indian state towards the Nagas would create more problems for India than solving it’, it said.
On New Delhi’s offer of economic sops, the outfit retorted that ‘Indo-Naga problem is that of forced occupation of Nagalim by India and it cannot be resolved through social, economic and cultural packages.’
‘After killing hundreds of thousands of our people, molesting and raping our mothers, sisters and daughters, after burning down our villages, is it possible on the part of the Nagas today and tomorrow to bargain our birth right with economic largesse from Delhi.? It is simply not acceptable to the Nagas rather it is an insult and amounts to adding salt to the open sores’, the NSCN press statement read.
The statement of the outfit said that the NSCN-IM entered into the current Indo-Naga ceasefire and the political negotiations only after the ‘landmark’ meeting on June 12, 1995, Paris between the then-Indian Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and the Collective Leadership of NSCN.
The outfit reminded that its Collective Leadership agreed to declare ceasefire and start political negotiation with the GoI after both the parties agreed in unambiguous terms that the talks shall be without conditions from both sides; the talks shall be at the highest level i.e., at the Prime Minister level and the venue of the talks would be anywhere outside India.
Referring to the agreement, the NSCN-IM ridiculed the package coming from the Home Ministry level when political negotiation is going on at the highest Prime Ministerial level.
‘We find no wisdom in their approach. We believe that the GoI will not be so naïve to make such an approach to settle the Indo-Naga issue’, the NSCN-IM concluded.
Six gunned down in suspicious manner by govt forces The Imphal Free Press

Imphal, Sept 9: Six persons were gunned down by a combined security team of Imphal West police commandos and personnel of 12 Maratha Light Infantry last night around 10.50 pm near Awang Khunou Lamkhai under Patsoi police station.

According to an official source said one M-16 Rifles with 63 ammunitions, two 9mm pistols with seven live rounds and one .38 revolver and several empty cases were recovered after the encounter.

The source further said the combined team on getting informations of the presence of some armed UGs in the general areas of Awang Khunou Lamkhai yesterday night conducted frsking and checking duties, and during the course of frsking they spotted two motor cycle borned youths followed by a Tata Sumo occupied by some unidentified persons approaching their position.

The source said the riders were signalled to stopped by the security men for checking but occupants of both the vehicles started firing upon the security forces after avoiding the signals and the security forces immediate retaliated resulting in an encounter which lasted for about 30 minutes.

The source further said after the encounter the forces searched the area and recovered six bullet ridden dead bodies of UG suspects along the roadside along with one M-16 Rifles and 63 ammunitions, two 9mm pistols with seven live rounds, one .38 revolver and several empty cases from their posession, along with a Yamaha Enticer bearing registration No. MN01-N-0335 black in colour and a Tata Sumo bearing registration No. 7033. Awang Khunou Lamkhai locals were not able to give much information as the firefight happened in middle of the night and none of them witnessed the actual scene. they however said residents heard sounds beating and words of threats to some persons by the security forces before the continuous firings from automatic weapons began from the directions where the dead bodies were recovered. They also heard the groaning of at least one person after the firing.

An investigation team of Patsoi police who were the first to reach the spot early this morning said they rushed to the spot following a reports from locality through telephone last night and they found four dead bodies injured by the multiple bullets near the illfated Tata Sumo. One M-16 Rifles with huge ammunitions and one 9 mm pistol were also recovered near them There were two more dead bodies near a fallen Yamaha Enticer Motorcycle. One 9mm pistol and one .38 revolver were recovered near them, the police said. They said they also found out that two drivers of bullock carts who were ferrying bamboo on their carts had taken shelter at a safer site near by the spot, and their statements about the incident were taken.

Four out of six slained men were identified by the respective families at RIMS morgue this early morning and they were identified as Kshetrimayum Govind 29 son of Ksh Gouramani of Keishamthong Hodam Leirak, Ngaseppam Danny alias Bothe 29 son of Ng Achou of Sega road Khwairakpam Leikai, Md Toomba 35 son og late Md Iboton of Mayang Imphal Konchak presently residence of Hatta Golapati and Md Rahaman 38 of Hatta.

According to family sources both Ksh Govind and Ngaseppan Danny were innocent. They waid the two went out yesterday evening around 5pm on a Yamaha Enticer belonging to the Govind to do their usual round to collect money from various local shops for mobile recharge cards which they deal in. They said when the two did not return till late evening, around 7.45 Danny was contacted throught mobile phone by his younger brother. Danny replied they would be returning home soon.

They further said two unidentified persons who identified themselves as close friends of Danny have came to his house last night and carried out a brief search inside Danny’s room and then hurriedly left the house. In the wake of the killing, a public meeting was organised at Hodam Leirak Lairembi Lampak this monring and the public has decided to submit a memandum to the chief minister O Ibobi tomorrow.

They said they will demand to judicial enquiry, punishment of involved security personnel, compensation of Rs. 5 Lakhs as ex-gretiat for the deceased and provision of white colour jobs to the next of kin of the deceased. Public of Hodam Lierak met with their local MLA, education minister L Jayenta this evening and submitted their list of demands. On the other hand, family of deceased Md Tomba 35 son of late Md Iboton of Mayang Imphal Konchak presently residence of Hatta Golapati also claimed he was an innocent rickshaw driver.

Tomba’s 27 years old wife Meenarahi said her husband was an innocent rikshaw driver and he was well known amongst his rickshaw driver colleagues for his prolonged 15 year services in the profession in Imphal. She recalled that her husband normally returned to their rented house at Hatta Golapati around 3 pm, but yesterday since he was did not return in time.
Worried she made a phone called to him around 4 pm and her husband promptly replied he would be back soon after off loading a fire woods consignment at Lamphel Super Market.

She said when her husband did return even at 6 pm she made another phone call and her husband again replied that he was going upto the Games village for delivering the same consignment and hung up.

She said she again contacted her husband around 10.10 pm last night. This time her husband replied in a lowered voice he was in custody and was being taken to an unknown placed blind folded, and then switched off his mobile.

In the meantime, the All Manipur Riklshaw Drivers’ and Pullers Association said thay have taken serious note of the killing of Md Tomba and condemned the security forces for targetting innocent the poor rickshaw driver. They also demanded justice.

The driver of the illfated Tata Sumo who was also killed in the encounter was identified by the owner of the vehicle this monring at RIMs morgue as one Md Rahaman 38 of Hatta.

The owner was picked up by the Imphal west district police commandos from his house this early morning for the verification and he was identified as Pheiroijam Anand of Sagolband Khaman Leirak.

According to him, his Tata Sumo ply Imphal Moreh every day.

All dead bodies are kept in the RIMS morgue for the offical identifications and many of them were found with multiple bullets injuries in their bodies.