Illegal' NSCN camp vacated in Manipur
The area had been reinforced with additional troops and the camp was under constant surveillance by air and other means.
New Delhi: The extremist National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) has vacated an “unauthorised” camp which it had set-up in a Manipur village against the ceasefire agreement.
Tension had been rising in the area after the security forces had warned NSCN(IM) to vacate the camp. The area had been reinforced with additional troops and the camp was under constant surveillance by air and other means.
NSCN (IM) had occupied a temporary camp in Sihai Village about 5 km from Khamasom near the Indo-Myanmar Border in Ukhrul district of Manipur. According to reports, there were around 70 NSCN(IM) rebels in the camp.
During a routine aerial recce on April 25, some suspected temporary hutment type structures were observed in the forest in Sihai Khunou/Khamasom, Ukhrul. Troops deployed to verify confirmed the existence of an unauthorised camp of NSCN(IM) in that area.
The security forces had given NSCN(IM) leadership reasonable time to vacate the camp, which they failed causing hardship to the local populace. “The attempt by the group to push the security forces to use force was responded with great restraint thereby ensuring that the issue did not escalate further and 21 long years of negotiations were not allowed to go waste,” said officials. “The setting of an unauthorised camp in violation of ground rules agreed upon is most unfortunate and almost betrays the hopes of Naga people,” said officials.
Assam Rifles then approached the chairman of the Cease-fire Monitoring Group. “Using the good offices of chairman CFMG and civil society organisations, it was ensured that the camp is vacated,” said officials.