UKHRUL: Following the attack on Kherongruen and Huimine Thana in Kamjong District, Manipur, on Wednesday, the Ramphoi (Nambisha) village authority has strongly condemned the attack, accusing the Kuki National Army-Burma (KNA-B) of the act. It has also denounced what it alleges as the inaction of the 11 Assam Rifles stationed at nearby Phaikoh (Kuki) village, barely 100 metres away, and demanded their withdrawal from the area at the earliest.
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In a condemnation note, the villagers said the attack, which took place at around 1:30 pm, led to 25 houses and 11 Myanmarese refugee camps being burnt, causing losses running into lakhs of rupees. “The burning of houses is not merely the destruction of property but an assault on the dignity, security and fundamental rights of the villagers. Such targeted aggression against unarmed civilians is wholly indefensible, antithetical to the rule of law and harmful to the prospects of peace and public order,” the village authority stated.
Further, the authority voiced particular concern over what it described as the “culpable inaction” of the 11 Assam Rifles unit at Phaikoh. It alleged that, despite being within immediate operational range, the unit failed to take prompt preventive action when the KNA-B began its arson attack. This omission, the note stated, amounts to a dereliction of duty and raises serious questions about the unit’s impartiality.
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“It is a matter of record that personnel of the 11 Assam Rifles made misleading representations before the District Administrators, claiming that the assailants used only civilian licensed firearms, whereas, in fact, automatic and sophisticated weapons were discharged upon unarmed civilians. Fortunately, residents escaped unharmed by fleeing and seeking concealment at the onset of the attack. In stark contrast, the Border Security Force detachment stationed at Kherongruen truthfully stated before the District Administrators that the attackers used sophisticated automatic weapons. This material discrepancy in official accounts prima facie indicates bias and a pro-Kuki partisan disposition on the part of the 11 Assam Rifles,” the village authority alleged.
In light of these developments, the Ramphoi village authority said that the continued deployment of the Assam Rifles in the area is untenable and undermines neutrality and public confidence. It has therefore demanded that the Assam Rifles be replaced by State forces at the earliest to ensure impartial law enforcement and the protection of all civilians.
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The villagers further appealed to the State and Central authorities to act without delay to protect innocent civilians, preserve law and order, and ensure accountability for those responsible for acts of violence.
