Village authorities pledge to not concede to ransom demands
LONGDING, 4 Jun: The Longding battalion of the Assam Rifles (AR) organised a ‘security meeting’ at the circuit house here on Saturday to discuss the present security situation, in view of the spree of kidnappings and detention of local village authorities by the NSCN (K-YA), and to find a way ahead.
The meeting, which was chaired by Longding AR Battalion Commandant Col KS Gill, was attended by Longding EAC Dakli Gara, DSP Banghang Tangjang, over 130 village chiefs, GBs, GPCs, ZPMs, “and the 48 family members of active insurgents of the Wancho region,” the AR stated in a release.
Commending the Wanchos in particular and the people of Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts “for the historic peace protest rally organised by them on 30 May to express their deep resentment against illegal activities of insurgents,” the security force assured them that the Assam Rifles and the police would make all-out efforts to deny space to insurgent groups in Longding district.
The commandant urged the village authorities to take a united stand against insurgency and encourage the Wancho underground (UG) operatives to “shun the path of violence and surrender before security forces and police.”
The village authorities pledged to not concede to illegal demands for ransom by insurgents on account of surrender and defections. They also unanimously decided not to allow any fresh recruitment from their villages into UG groups in the future.
The family members of the active insurgents assured the security force that they would make sincere endeavour to convince their family members to surrender before the security forces and the police. (DIPRO)
