Road block at Hongbei junction cleared : AR, NSCN (IM) standoff continues to remain tense
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, April 25 2020: Security forces blocked at Hongbei junction to prevent entry by womenfolk were allowed to pass through today following interventions of civil society organisations but the situation continues to remain tense.

The road block was lifted after leaders and representatives of many civil society organisations, including the United Naga Council, Naga Women Union, ANSAM, TNL, TSA and village leaders held a closed door meeting for about 2 hours today from 12 noon to resolve and defuse the situation.

Road block at Hongbei junction cleared : AR, NSCN (IM) standoff continues to remain tense

Personnel of the State police led by IGP IK Muivah and DIG K Kabib also discussed the issue with the CSO leaders and succeeded in convincing them to get the road block lifted after intense discussion.

The standoff started between the NSCN (IM) and the Assam Rifles when additional troops of the security forces were rushed to Kashung Bungdung village on the Indo-Myanmar border on April 23 in the midst of the Nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

To thwart any clash between the Assam Rifles and the NSCN (IM), womenfolk of the village took it upon themselves to block the route leading to the villages of Hongbei area as well as on the ground that arrival of new people to the area could trigger waves of COVID-19 infections.

According to sources, the standoff started from Thursday morning at Kashung Bungdung village as the Assam Rifles wanted the NSCN (IM) to vacate a camp set up at Kangkum village and the womenfolk of the surrounding villages had come out on the roads to block the entry of the Assam Rifles, to avert any confrontation.

State security personnel along with 90 unarmed women police led by IGP IK Muivah and DIG Kabib reached Kasom Khullen police station to assess the ground situation in the region.

Meanwhile, local MLA Leishiyo Keishing also visited Hongbei junction and interacted with the women folks stationed there as well as with leaders of Naga civil societies present at the junction.

The president of Tangkhul Women League (TSL) Veronica said the deployment of additional security forces in the region has created a tense situation, and the UNC, NWU, ANSAM and others have intervened to help defuse the situation.

Though security forces have been allowed to pass through, situation in Kashung Bungdung remains tense as the standoff is still unresolved.

Kashung Bungdung is more than 90 kms away from Imphal situated at border pillar number 6.According to South Area Villages chairman Somi Angkhang, the troops led by Commdt of 26 AR have been stationed at Kashung outpost since Wednesday while AR personnel have also been stationed at three other locations at Taret log, Kashung Makan area and Tuyungpi river at Kongkan & Choro and Khonglo & Sorbung area.

The situation if not resolved soon might escalate, said villagers.