RPF trains guns on IMFL agents
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 07 2022: While declaring that agents of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in Manipur will be treated as 'enemy' and given punishment as per outfit's anti-drug/liquor policy, the proscribed Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) has appealed people not to consider liquor agents as innocent civilians when they are given punishment.

Apart from reminding people that there is no change in the outfit's anti-drug/liquor policy and the ban imposed on import of IMFL to Manipur is yet to be lifted, a statement of RPF strongly called for fighting India's covert military operation involving drug/alcohol.

According to the RPF statement issued by its deputy publicity secretary Roben Khuman, Manipur is a liquor consuming land since time immemorial but there had been a movement against drugs/alcohol in the form of 'Nishaband' by women and youth clubs and organisations well before the birth of PLA/RPF after drug abuse/alcoholism gave severe impact on the society.

At the time when a new phase of armed movement for regaining Manipur's lost sovereignty began in the early 1980s, government of India attempted to suppress the armed movement militari ly and sent scores of Indian army particularly mainland Indian army personnel locally known as 'Mayang Siphai' to Manipur.

After 'Mayang Siphai' or so called (Indian Occupational Force-IOF) deployed in Manipur came to realise that revolutionaries do not consume or use liquor/drugs, a covert operation using liquor/drugs as a tool was launched to prevent youth from joining the armed revolution and destroy emerging generation.

As part of the operation, all the canteens of Indian army, paramilitary forces and state forces were converted as operation centre and IMFL locally known as 'Yungang' made available abundantly.

In view of government's utilisation of IMFL as a tool to suppress sovereignty movement and severe impact IMFL gave to socio-economic condition of the people, RPF imposed ban on import and sale of IMFL in Manipur from 1990, the RPF statement reminded, while adding that there is no change in outfit's decision taken in 1990.When heroin (Diacetylmorphine) was produced abundantly in the so called 'Golden Triangle' in the intersection of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand prior to 1980s, some wealthy people of Manipur and from outside carried the drug through Moreh and sold the same in Bombay (Mumbai) and Goa.

During that time, there was no widespread abuse of heroin though some wealthy people of Manipur used the contraband drug secretly.

As part of the 'Covert Counter Insurgency Operation' launched through agents of Indian Army and reactionaries, government of India utilised narcotic drugs particularly Heroin apart from IMFL as secret tool to suppress the armed movement from 1980s.As India's covert and illegal drug operation severely affected the society, RPF formed its own Special Task Force (STAFORCE) on July 7,1998 and began the fight against use of illegal drugs as a tool by Indian armed forces.

Taking advantage of the covert operation, many military officers as well as bureaucrats, politicians and their close associates joined the drug business, the RPF statement said, adding that arrest of some drug traders by security forces were possible only due to enmity among drug dealers.

There is no fear among IOF in killing innocent civilians including women and children during counter insurgency operation as they are protected under the Armed Forces' Special Power Act (AFSPA) but they have no open protection in dealing with narcotic drugs being utilised as a tool under covert operation and there is no Bill or Act to protect them from such illegal business.

Accordingly, arrest of military officers, bureaucrats, politicians and their associates for involvement in illegal narcotic drug business were made public through the media just for namesake and to fool the people.

Notable few such cases which reached public domain in a big way were drug haul cases in front of Kangla, Tulihal airport and Moreh but all these cases have vanished and their whereabouts unknown.

Manipur government declared 'War on Drugs' but experts consider it as 'a losing battle' as it was government of India which sponsored drugs to fight insurgency and eventually led to the drug menace in Manipur, the RPF statement, adding that Manipur government declared 'War against Drugs' only to cover up India's image.

According to the RPF statement, it will be impossible for Manipur government to tackle drug menace in Manipur but the puppet government in the state has to act as per directive of their masters in Delhi.

Though government declared the state 'dry' in 1991, Manipur figured among 10 most liquor consuming states of India, the RPF said, adding that there were reports of government of India exerting pressure to lift prohibition as it affected IOF's strategy.

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