ZUF claims hand in shooting at of IM cadre
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, June 09 2011: Owning up responsibility for the shooting "retribution" awarded to a cadre of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) Isak Muivah faction (NSCN-IM) few days back, Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) has today expressed strong disapproval against the two organizations � Khoupum Area Village Authority Council and Khoupum Area Churches' Fellowship � for condemning the outfit's action "without seeking to understand the context" .

ZUF is responsible for shooting at the leg of an NSCN-IM cadre Poushindai Gonmei s/o Ngaseije of Duithanjang village of Khoupum area in Tamenglong district of Manipur as a last warning for his crime, said a statement from the outfit and demanded clarification from the two organizations for indiscriminately condemning the action of the outfit's "retributive" justice.

The Zeliangrong outfit explained that Mr Gonmei was involved in the shoot out in Khoupum area on March 5, 2011, in which "sergeant major" Poule Nkoume, a cadre of the outfits armed wing Zeliangrong Tiger Front (ZTF) was killed.

"Mr Gonmei is also an informer of the Indian Army," ZUF alleged, adding that "because of his wrong information an innocent civilian was once battered black and blue by the Indian Army personnel" .

The general public and civil society organizations should be aware of the circumstances in which the outfit awarded the punishment, they should not engage in arbitrary condemnation, it added.

Poushindai Gonmei deserves a capital punishment but was only shot at one of the legs on humanitarian ground and as a last warning for his crime, the ZUF said.

ZUF recounted that on March 5, 2011, NSCN-IM attacked ZTF in Khoupum area, killing its "sergeant major" Poule Nkoume.

It asked the two organizations � Khoupum Area Village Authority Council and Khoupum Area Churches' Fellowship � to weigh the difference between dead and wounded and not indulged in indiscriminate condemnation, apparently hinting at the fact that a wounding retribution to the NSCN-IM cadre as against the killing of its cadre was only a trifle penalty.

When Poule was killed the two Khoupum area organizations had been mute spectators, they are now raising hue and cry over the mere wounding of Gonmei, it said, adding that they are responsible organizations, therefore they should refrain from bias judgment.

ZUF has demanded public clarification from Khoupum Area Village Authority Council and Khoupum Area Churches' Fellowship.

"They should come out with clarification before the general public and the outfit to avoid any misunderstanding," it said.

"ZUF condemns the press statement of Khoupum Area Village Authority Council and Khoupum Area Churches' Fellowship" in which the outfit's action of awarding shooting "retribution" to Mr Gonmei was indiscriminately condemned without seeking to understand the context, said the outfit.

Mr Gonmei was taken into custody and kept at the outfit's camp for several days before being awarded the shooting "retribution".

He was later released.

"While in our custody, he was treated well," said the outfit.

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