Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 22:
Emphasizing the need to have a healthy relation between the Assam Rifles and the media, Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South) Maj General BK Chengappa has assured to take up necessary steps to ensure that mediapersons are not harassed or assaulted by the soldiers.
Addressing an interaction session of mediapersons and AR officials at his Mantripukhri office premises today, the Major General said, "The environment here is tense and absolute.
Whenever there are things beyond the law and order situation we are called to control it and at this point of time while conducting counter insurgency operations we try our level best to cause least harassment on
the general.
"I have noted all undesired happenings in which the journalists faced certain unwanted reactions from the security forces and now I assure you that no such events happen in future", he assured.
Responding to a question, the IG AR said that there is the need to have a good fencing along IndoMyanmar border at Moreh town in Manipur's Chandel district to accelerate the border trade activities between the two countries and dampen movements of the rebels.
The AR is entrusted to guard the porous boundary in Chandel specifically at Moreh town, where business transactions of around Rs five crores are effected daily and taking advantage of the porous border scores of militant groups are hiding in the district, the AR officer said.
The IG further informed that the recent visit of Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta at Imphal was to review the law and order situation and the proposed IndoMyanmar fencing at the border town.
The IG AR (South) who commands more than half of Manipur's operational area said there is always the need to have a good strength of security forces in the hill areas to tackle insurgency and other illegal activities.
Moreh sector is one such place, he added.
During the course of he interaction a debate ensued on the points raised by some AR officials on why the media emphasised on the allegations against the security forces and keep silent on the violation of human rights by the rebels.