NEW DELHI: The Director General of Assam Rifles on Wednesday took stock of the prevailing security situation along the borders of Manipur.
In a statement, Assam Rifles (AR) said, "Lt Gen PC Nair, Director General Assam Rifles visited Moreh on 10 Jan 24 given the present escalated security situation and persistent attacks on Security Forces. Gen Nair was briefed in Moreh by the Sect Cdr Brig V P Yadav on the present security situation."
In addition, DG AR met with members of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). "The CSO leaders who attended the meeting were from the Hill Tribe Council, Kuki Students Organization, Kuki Women Union, Human Rights Moreh, Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal, Tamil Sangam, Gorkha Samaj Samiti and Manipur Muslims Council.", said the AR.
Moreh township which lies on the Indo-Myanmar border on the Indian side in Manipur has seen increased violence since the last week of December 23, the AR said.
The director general listened patiently to the issues of concern being faced by all the groups. The statement added, "In his interaction with them, he said that Moreh is a township that is very different from the other towns in Manipur because of its cosmopolitan nature. People from the Kuki, Meitei, Naga, Tamil, Pangal, Gorkha, Sikh and other communities have been residing for decades in peace and harmony."
The past eight months of strife that was preceded by two years of COVID-19 has greatly affected the lives of the children and youth. Their future is at stake and thus there is no other alternative but to shun violence, the DG added.
Lt Gen Nair further stated that "all their grievances will be looked into and studied but it is for the people of Moreh particularly the women to actively act towards the restoration of peace."
Sounding a note of caution, "he also asked all the civil society groups to tell those moving around with weapons that the Central Security Forces shall retaliate in an appropriate manner if provoked or fired upon. It is in everybody’s interest to restore peace and thus everyone’s responsibility to work towards it. AR, he added shall always live up to the sobriquet of “Friends of the North East” even in the most challenging circumstances.
The DG AR's visit aimed to enhance coordination amongst Civil Society groups & open channels of communication between Security Forces and the Civil Society Groups pointed out Assam Rifles.