GOC 3 Corps Lt Gen NK Singh's appeal to Manipur's rebel outfits:
'Give up unnecessary, futile violence'
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 04 2010: General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Corps, Lt Gen NK Singh has appealed to the leaders of Manipur's insurgent organisations such as UNLF, PLA, PREPAK, KYKL, KCP and all other underground groups to "give up violence for the good of our people of Manipur".

"Let the people of Manipur also live happily without the daily threats of extortion, grenades and other forms of coercion," the GOC said.

He made the appeal while addressing a media interaction programme held yesterday afternoon at the Head Quarters of 3 Corps, which is known as Spear Corps, at Rangapahar, Dimapur on the occasion of the 25 Raising Day (Silver Jubilee) celebration of the Corps.

Lt Gen NK Singh further said, "Let the highly talented people of Manipur build up their happiness and prosperity along with the great strides being made by the rest of India which at present is the second fastest growing economy in the world.

Let us all participate in this great economic surge and share the fruits of this prosperity" .

GOC 3 Corps, Lt Gen NK Singh interacting with mediapersons

"Give up this unnecessary and futile violence which has only resulted in the death of so many young boys and men, bereaving so many families over the past 40 years or so," the Corps Commander said.

He further appealed to "the leaders of UNLF, PLA, PREPAK and all the others not to unnecessarily risk the lives of their young boys and men, come and join the great democratic mainstream of India for bringing peace and greater prosperity to Manipur" .

He expressed happiness to see the schools in Manipur reopened, and also some strengthening of the civil administration in remote areas of the state.

Answering a question on the efforts of the Government of India in having Manipur's rebel leaders arrested and handed over to Indian authority by either Myanmar or Bangladesh authority from their respective soil as in the case of ULFA's chairman Arvind Rajkhowa and some of his colleagues, the Corps Commander said, the Union Home Secretary, GK Pillai had visited Myanmar recently and held talks and understanding with the authority of that country on conducting coordinated operations against the NE insurgent groups whose camps are located in Myanmar.

Now the efforts are in planning and discussion stage, he said.

He also pointed out that there are about 50 camps of North East insurgent groups in Myanmar, out of which about 20 belong to the insurgent groups of Manipur.

About four to six camps belong to ULFA.

The GOC is scheduled to visit Myanmar in the near future.

Revealing that the Army has information about the rebel leaders of Manipur taking shelter at Kathmandu, the capital of the Himalayan country, Nepal, Lt Gen NK Singh further said, it can be dealt at the government level.

Something will come up soon, he said.

Stating that North East India has gained greater significance in recent times due to changes in strategic dimension perspective, Lt Gen NK Singh asserted that the 3 Corps will fully accomplish its responsibility of guarding the frontiers in Arunachal Pradesh and with Myanmar and part of Bangladesh, besides ensuring congenial political environment in the North Eastern states.

"While maintaining high all round vigilance across the international borders in Arunachal Pradesh and on borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh we have also maintained relentless pressure on the insurgents in our Area of Responsibility by carrying out deliberate intelligence based surgical operations.

The Corps has ensured an enviable record in achieving its aims and objectives with minimum loss of civilian life or collateral damage," he said.

About Tripura, the GOC said, many more NLFT cadres have surrendered.

Many thousands of tribal families have got their land pattas.

Situation has improved so much that even private entrepreneurs are getting attracted.

Recently an agreement has been signed to set up a Rs 100 crore tyre plant in Tripura with 70% production to be exported to Bangladesh.

Regarding Mizoram, the GOC said that the overall situation is peaceful.

However, some people in Mizoram can be more magnanimous and facilitate the return of the Bru Reang refugees.

These people are also the sons and daughters of the soil of Mizoram and in fact will contribute to greater development of Mizoram.

The illegal immigration from Myanmar into Mizoram needs to be discouraged, he said.

In Nagaland, the FNR has gathered greater momentum.

The political dialogue sounding out various sections of society has also been taking place at various levels in several different ways.

Though violations of CFGRs do occur, but these are being generally resolved as per the rules and the provisions of the law, he said.

Lt Gen NK Singh further said, in South Assam, barring some extortion related incidents and a clash between some members of DHD(J) and DGD(CF), the situation is peaceful and well under control.

Upper Assam is seeing a churning within the ULFA after Rajkhwa's arrest.

There is also turmoil in the ULFA ranks in their camps in Myanmar, with Paresh Baruah trying to re-establish control.

The overall situation in the NER of India is steadily improving, he said.