Imphal, November 09 2008: Refuting a series of statements issued by the PRO of Assam Rifles in the past few days, the proscribed UNLF today said it has been the culture of the AR to arrest innocent people and later dub them as members of the outfit or any other outfit.

In a statement, the outfit today said that the report that two UNLF cadres have been nabbed along with a motor cycle at a place in between Sita and Tengnoupal along Imphal Moreh line is baseless.

The two, Md Ayub Khan and Md Riyajuddin are not in any way related to the UNLF or the MPA, it said and added that the report that the motorcyle was being taken to the 292 Bn of the MPA exposes the falsity of the claim as the 292 Bn does not operate at that direction.

Moreover the claim that the 31 AR arrested one UNLF cadre from Moreh Ward number VII on November 2 is false, claimed the outfit.

The arrested youth, Mithun son of Soibam Sambhu is not in any related to the UNLF.

The Assam Rifles scores high in spreading false information even amongst the security forces, asserted the outfit.

Recalling the revolt of the people of Sangai Yumpham with sticks and lathis against the arrest of innocent people by dubbing them as militants, UNLF said that this example as well as the 'surrender fiasco' enacted by enlisting the service of some youth with the promises of providing them jobs is ample proof of the misinformation campaign led by the Assam Rifles.

At the moment there are many renegades who have deserted their organisations and taken shelter at AR posts, said UNLF and added that the KCP (MC) which was behind the Pandon blast that claimed 17 lives is a stooge of the Assam Rifles.

This has also led to a confrontation between the State police and the Assam Rifles, it claimed.

Following the huge public outcry against the Pandon blast, the KCP (MC) members are presently kept captive and their mouth sealed, said UNLF.

Those who have outlived their utility and are no longer of any use to the AR are frequently bumped off in fake encounters, alleged the outfit.

All these are done so that the AR officers get citations and medals.

The most recent example is the elimination of some youths at Heingang Chig, it added.

On the other hand AR does not disclose anything whenever any genuine cadre is arrested, it claimed and added that on November 7 a UNLF cadre, Chingtham Paongamba alias Kendra son of Boshan of Paomai Colony was arrested at Tengnoupal.

AR should clarify whether he is still under arrest or has been eliminated.

Asserting that the people of Manipur have been at the receiving end of the policy of the Government of India, UNLF said that though the places (mainland India) where the Naxalites are active are more violent than Manipur or the North East, AFSPA is not imposed while it has been in force in the region for years.

This is a clear testimony that the Government of India thinks all the people of Manipur are its enemies.

Accusing the security forces of lacking any morale, UNLF recounted how its UN peace keeping force the arms seized were exchanged for gold.

This shows how morally depraved the security personnel are, it added.

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