Imphal, August 17 2009: Many Tangkhul-Naga apex bodies have rejected the statement of PRO of IGAR (S) that appeared in some newspapers - which stated that the mass rally in Ukhrul against the reported encounter in Ukhrul was at the behest of the NSCN (IM).

"It is apparent that resorting to such baseless insinuations have been the modus operandi of the Assam Rifles.

Such statements point to the inability of the Assam Rifles to gauge and understand the desire of the Naga people for peace and justice," reads a joint statement issued by Stephen Angkang, President of TNL; A..SDinah, president of TSL; Wungnaoshang A.Shimray, President, TKS; Zanyo Varam President, TMNL; Kaphungkan K.Shimray President, TNWL; and Alung Rungsung, Coordinator, NPMHR.

"Further, the 'professionalism' of the Assam Rifles during their recent military operations is hard for us to believe given the fact that we have recorded statements from villagers in the area that categorically establish that the Assam Rifles resorted to tactics that violated the physical and emotional security of villagers," the statement asserted.

Pointing out that the mass movement of the Nagas has been in place since the beginning of the last century and such statements from the Assam Rifles are desperate attempts to cover up their excesses and wrongdoings, it further stated that the conscience of the people is very clear; they want just peace in our land.

As the declaration adopted at the torch rally on August 16 evening reaffirms, the people are committed to the peaceful and just resolution of the Indo-Naga problem, and declare their mandate and support to the ongoing Indo-Naga political peace process, the statement added.

"In case the Assam Rifles do not know, as evinced by the ignorant statement issued by the PRO IGAR (S), the Naga people in general, and the Tangkhuls in particular, is mature and intelligent enough to make their own decisions and formulate their own opinions," the joint statement posited.

The statement further dismissed the question of the NSCN (IM) influencing the opinions of the people and pledged not to be so in future.