New Delhi
Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Monday said “the tribal affiliations have taken a strong line but we have to work with a whole-of-nation approach to make sure that the reconciliation must take place”. He, however, strongly emphasised that there was absolutely no lack of coordination among the security forces in the state.
He maintained that the Army is focusing on bringing peace to the region and claimed that “synergised” efforts from the security forces and “proactive” initiatives by the government have brought the situation in the state under control.
“I just wish to assure you that there is absolutely no lack of coordination (among security forces) but we have to understand which side is where,” he said.
Addressing the media ahead of the Army Day, Gen Dwivedi said he was hopeful that new Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla will take the necessary steps for reconciliation. He said various NGOs and Army veterans are also reaching out to the community leaders in an attempt to ensure reconciliation.
“The overall perspective on Manipur as of today is that the tribal affiliations have taken a strong line. But we have to work with the whole of nation approach to ensure that the reconciliation takes place. And I am very hopeful with the new Governor (former home secretary Ajay Bhalla) who has gone there that the step towards this will be taken,” the Army Chief said.
The Army Chief said “cyclic” incidents of violence are continuing in the northeastern State, where a large cache of weapons, ammunition and warlike stores was seized during a major joint operation across multiple districts between January 6 and 11. The joint operation was conducted by the Indian Army, Manipur Police, Assam Rifles and other security forces. A total of 19 weapons were recovered from the districts of Thoubal, Kangpokpi, Churchandpur and Kakching.
Gen Dwivedi did not rule out any external dimension to the conflict in the Northeastern state. He said the Army has put in place enhanced surveillance and domination along the India-Myanmar border to insulate the areas from a “spillover of turbulence” taking place in Myanmar.
“Fencing is a significant step and we have started new progress on this. The internal situation in Myanmar is triggering an influx of people including soldiers from that country to India. We have made sure that all those coming here should be treated as refugees and due respect and consideration should be accorded,” he said.
Gen Dwivedi said the Indian Army’s engagement with the Myanmarese military is continuing. “As far as our connection with Myanmar Army is concerned, I just wish to assure you that the connect is complete and we are interacting with each other with due harmony, making sure that the exchange of information and support is required in terms of intelligence provided from both the sides,” he said.
Myanmar has been witnessing widespread violent protests demanding restoration of democracy since the military seized power in the coup on February 1, 2021. The resistance forces have already captured many key trading points along the borders with India, China and Bangladesh.
Myanmar shares a 1,640-kilometre-long border with a number of northeastern states including militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur. In view of the violence and instability in border areas of Myanmar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah in January last year announced a plan to fence the border.
Incidents of violence in the meantime continues. A temporary camp of Assam Rifles was set ablaze in Hongbei village of Manipur’s Kamjong district on Saturday during protests over “continuous frisking and harassment” along Imphal-Myanmar road. The paramilitary force conducts counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast and guards the India-Myanmar border. The situation escalated when AR personnel allegedly stopped the transport of timber meant for house construction in a nearby village.
Also, curfew was clamped in a sub-division in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district following tension between the Naga and Kuki-Zo community people while in a separate incident in Kamjong district.
Meanwhile, an eight-member delegation of Kuki-Zo Council will meet officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi on January 17 and put forth their demand for a ‘separate administration’ in the form of a Union Territory with a legislature in order to restore peace in Manipur.
