Athouba slams ex-ARDG for twisting ground reality
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 10 2024: In a strongly worded post on X, COCOMI spokesperson Khuraijam Athouba has criticised the former Director General of Assam Rifles, PC Nair, for allegedly misrepresenting facts and downplaying the gravity of the ongoing conflict in Manipur.

Athouba accused PC Nair of shaping the narrative to suit his agenda, particularly in an interview with News9 Live where the retired DG sidestepped critical questions and diluted important facts concerning the crisis in the state.

Athouba compared PC Nair's interview to that of Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) Delhi NCR president, who openly admitted the use of "indigenously made rockets with ranges no less than 5 km".

In contrast, PC Nair dismissed these reports as "media disinformation," referring to the weapons as "indigenous Pumpi" and undermining the gravity of the situation.

Athouba pointed out that while PC Nair was rejecting claims of rocket usage, media outlet News9 aired footage of a forensic team recovering the remains of a rocket from a conflict zone in Manipur, exposing a glaring contradiction.

Athouba highlighted this discrepancy, questioning the accuracy and intent behind the former DG AR's statements.

"This raises serious questions about the accuracy of the information being presented," he said in the post.

He also expressed concerns about the DG's reluctance to respond to a question on the long-standing issue of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, which has been in place since 2005.Instead of discussing this proxy military alliance, Nair shifted the focus to UNLF peace talks, which have been in discussion for just over a year.

"Given how long the Assam Rifles have been linked with these groups, this evasion is troubling," Athouba remarked, pointing to the former DG's selective presentation of facts.

Further criticising Nair's response on the state's drug problem, Athouba argued that while Nair shared recent data showing a decline in poppy cultivation, he ignored the long-standing history of poppy cultivation under the Assam Rifles' watch.

Athouba claimed the Assam Rifles often waited for the state government to act before taking any significant action.

This omission, Athouba said, overlooks the historical context of the drug-related issues that have plagued Manipur for decades.

Another point of contention was Nair's dismissal of drone bombings in the state, which Athouba called "particularly concerning." According to Athouba, numerous villages, security personnel, and civilians witnessed drone bombings firsthand.

He reported that on the night of September 1 and 2, between 50 to 60 bombs were dropped from 7-8 drones, injuring civilians and livestock.

"Nearly every village and security personnel deployed in the area have seen it firsthand," Athouba stated, accusing the former DG of being oblivious to these events or intentionally ignoring them.

The COCOMI spokesperson also challenged PC Nair's portrayal of an incident involving Meira Paibi women and an AR CO in Jiribam.

According to Athouba, the officer attempted to intimidate and bully the already frustrated women, prompting them to push him out of sheer frustration.

However, Nair's version of the incident with misrepresented sequence depicted the women as the aggressors, portraying the officer's response as restrained and justified.

"This distorted version of events not only misleads but also downplays the legitimate grievances of the Meira Paibi," Athouba said.

Athouba's post went on to provide a broader critique of Assam Rifles' role in the ongoing conflict, alleging a close coordination between the paramilitary force and Kuki militants since 2005.He expressed concerns about the proxy alliance in counter-insurgency operations, accusing the Assam Rifles of indifference toward narco-terrorist leaders like Thanglianpau Guite, a Myanmarese national operating along the Indo-Myanmar border since the early 1990s.Athouba further alleged that foreign nationals were rapidly acquiring Indian passports and becoming Indian citizens overnight, bringing them under the protection of Assam Rifles through deceptive agreements like SoO.

In his post, Athouba urged the armed forces operating in the region to adopt a "sincere and holistic approach" to resolve the conflict, warning that without addressing the root causes, civil society efforts to bring peace would be futile.

"By focusing solely on tactical manoeuvres - using power for the sake of service tenure or padding achievements without addressing the underlying issues - you are not truly resolving the conflict," he wrote.

Athouba called on the Assam Rifles and the broader security apparatus to address the deeper issues at play in Manipur's conflict, particularly the longstanding proxy alliances, drug-related violence, and the misuse of power.

"If the armed forces operating in the region do not take a sincere and holistic approach to resolving this conflict, it will be nearly impossible for us in civil society to make any real progress," he warned.

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