Stark reality: Some forces to be withdrawn from conflict-torn Manipur
CONFLICT
Imphal: Amid the people’s mounting protests against the proposed withdrawal of Central troops from certain areas of conflict-ridden Manipur, some forces are to be pulled out for the ongong Lok Sabha polls, and are likely to return, an unfavorable development taking into account the ongoing ethnic feud.
On Thursday evening, security advisor to the state government, Kuldiep Singh informed Governor Anusuiya Uikey that “some forces have to be withdrawn for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections for some time but are likely to return after the election process is over and redeployment will take place.”
In the aftermath of the ongoing ethnic violence that broke on May 3 last year, the government has deployed large number of army, Central paramilitary forces and state police at numerous vulnerable areas, mostly foothills across the restive state to thwart eruption of clashes.
Singh, who is also the chairman of the Unified Command structure in the state, called on Uikey at Imphal Raj Bhavan and briefed about the prevailing law and order situation as well as deployment of Central forces along the fringe areas, said a statement of the Governor’s secretariat.
“Central forces are being engaged in guarding state armouries and also escorting vehicles along the two national highways, i.e., NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur road) and NH-37(Imphal-Jiribam road),” read the statement.
The Governor asked the security advisor to take all possible measures to check any untoward incident and for the safety and security of the people in general, it added.
Manipur has witnessed sporadic protests, mostly by womenfolk at fringe areas of the valley districts and Kwatha, one of the last Meitei villages on the eastern front in Tengnoupal district bordering Myanmar, in the last few days, denouncing the government’s proposed withdrawal of the army and Central paramilitary forces from the areas.
The villagers’ common plea is that the strife is not over and that they would remain in stark peril if the security forces are pulled out. They categorically sought cancellation of the withdrawal orders. In some areas, the villagers demanded sending in of new forces of their choice before the old troops are pulled out.
Kwatha villagers, while stating that they could remain in peace without any uncertainties because of the deployment of a company of BSF there since the violence unfolded, sought the government to continue keeping the force there.
If the BSF troops are to be withdrawn, the government should deploy any security unit, preferably the state forces beforehand, they said.