Claims and Counter-claims
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: January 03 2013 -

Womenfolk demonstrating at Noney Bazar against killing of Gaungsingam Dangmei :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

If the events of the first day in a New Year are of any indication to the kind of days one is going to face ahead, then 2013, which has just been started, is not likely to be any different from the preceding years.

Notwithstanding the gloomy days one may have lived through, people normally optimistic on New Year's Day and looks forward to better days.

But in Manipur, 2013 began with an indefinite bandh along the National Highway 37 (Imphal-Jiribam), which fortunately has been suspended along with signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Government.

The bandh was called by Zeliangrong Students' Union, Manipur (ZSUM) in protest against the alleged killing of a 'discharged' cadre of Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) by personnel of Assam Rifles at Noney in Tamenglong district on the night of December 30.

The student body alleged that the deceased Guangsingam Dangmei had been picked up by personnel of 10th Assam Riffles in civvies along with one civilian.

While the civilian was set free after interrogation, Guangsingam was 'murdered in cold-blood'.

But the Central Paramilitary force has contradicted the claim of the student body and has a different story to tell, maintaining that the allegations of killing Guangsingam Dangmei in a fake encounter are an afterthought by undesirable elements to pressurize the security forces.

After every incident of killing a UG or a UG suspect, it has always been the dilemma of the people living in this strife-torn State to think over as to whose version is true, and the present case has been no different.

Even if the claim of the Central paramilitary force that Guangsingam Dangmei joined NSCN (IM) and got trained at Bunning Camp but he deserted NP Bn of NSCN (IM) in 2011 and joined ZUF is true, one thing that always struck the mind of the people is why the version of the security personnel, whether it be that of the Army or the State police over such 'encounter killings' is just the same, with not a word more or less.

Every version of the security personnel would say, first the troops rushed in on getting some specific information, and then, some suspicious movements were detected.

On being challenged or asked to stop, the other party opened fire at the troop and tried to flee.

The troop retaliated the firing and killed one of the UGs while the rest managed to escape. Does all the encounters following the sequences?

If it is so, then how it is going be any different from a stage-managed encounter?

Security forces definitely need to brush up their PR when it comes to refutation of charges of fake encounters to convince the people and leave no room for questioning.

Otherwise, 'they killed us so we killed them' would never work, because the Supreme Court of India is already aware of the trick.