Imphal, April 18 2009: The banned United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Manipur has vowed that its Manipur People's Army (MPA) will take revenge against the Indian Army for destroying the invaluable Sangai (brow antlered deer) and the natural environment of the Loktak lake.

Ksh Yoiheiba, Senior Publicity Officer, Department of Publicity, UNLF today stated in a press release that the "Operation Summer Storm" being launched by the "IOF" in the name of busting underground camps at the Loktak lake, in flagrant violation of all international conventions, has become an operation to exterminate the invaluable Sangai, which are not found anywhere else in the world.

In the name of hunting for the "insurgents," the habitat of the Sangai has been burnt down widely, Yoiheiba charged.

Regarding the claim of the Army as to killing a dozen insurgents during the operation, Yoiheiba asked if the "insurgents" killed were real soldiers of liberation movement, or innocent fishermen who earn their daily livelihood, or persons who were arrested from somewhere else and brought there and shot dead.

It is necessary to inquire, he added.

Yoiheiba maintained that the "IOF," who kill innocent civilians and put on camouflage on the dead bodies and claim that they killed insurgents, are well-known all over the world for flagrantly violating international laws and rules of war.

Moreover, the fact that the Indian Army were forcing innocent civilians to row their boat in front as human shield during the operation shows their cowardice and character of violating the international rules of war, Yoiheiba charged.

He further stated that for MPA, they did not take shelter at the Loktak lake this time.

Even if they happened to be there, the Indian Army would not be able to do anything to them.

Therefore, among those they claimed killed, most of them whould have been innocent civilians.

Their objectives are to exterminate the endangered species of Sangai and to create a sense of panic among the local people, Yoiheiba stated.

Therefore, the UNLF will intensify its war all the more and take revenge against the Indian Army for destroying Sangai and the natural environment of Loktak lake, Yoiheiba informed.

The statement asserted that the 'IOF' PRO Lt Col PK Wankhade was demonstrating the habitual Army way of making claim after suffering defeat in the battlefield over the gunfight between the MPA and troops of AR on April 14 which appeared on local dailies on April 16 .

The claim of the Army through the media, that the attempts to set up camps by the UNLF/MPA have been thwarted, would earn them shame, Senior Publicity Officer of the UNLF, Ksh Yoiheiba observed.

The UNLF statement also claims that there are numerous safe base-camps of the UNLF/MPA in areas that have been under its control adding that several lives of the rival 'Indian Occupational Forces' have been lost at various gunfights for liberation while inflicting injuries to several soldiers of the IOF.

The statement claimed that over 14 soldiers of the AR troops were killed and more than ten soldiers have been wounded in the gunfight that ensued between the MPA and the AR on April 14 last at a place in Ukhrul district while asserting that no casualty was suffered by the MPA.

Though the AR tried to play down the incident by claiming that a soldier had been killed and six others including a JCO suffered injuries, the dead bodies flown in the helicopter cannot be blotted out, the statement observed.

The Army had flown the slain soldiers and injured personnel to Kolkata instead of admitting them to the 57 Mountain Division Headquarters, Leimakhong as usual fearing that the people of Manipur will reckon the UNLF/MPA's strength in high esteem if the death toll and injured come to their knowledge, the statement asserts.

Yoiheiba further stated that the IOF are gripped with fear and apprehension on the course of action to be taken by the MPA at places like Singhat, Sajik Tampak, Khengjoy Range and Kasom area.

The statement pointed out that there have been several cases of the IOF soldiers committing suicide owing to fear and trepidation due to depression.

Comment