Imphal, December 10, 2005: Accusing the Government of India of launching propaganda to project them as violators of international law on the issue of landmines, the proscribed UNLF today said that it has become clear that India is trying to orchestrate a chorus blaming “our struggle for using landmines”.
In a statement, the outfit today said that the recent stories that have emerged in the local and India media and the manner in which the issue has been taken up in Parliament have made it clear that India is trying to blame the armed movement of using landmines, which is far from the truth.
At the same time, the GoI is trying to project the Indian security force as the ‘liberators’ of the locals from landmines, said the statement.
Setting the record straight, the outfit said that it is the Indian security force which has been using anti-personnel landmines in their offensive against ‘us.’ The security force plant the landmines where only the locals will pass through, alleged the outfit and warned that the locals are not warned for ‘security reasons’ charged UNLF and added that quite a number of local people have been killed by landmines.
On the other hand, the UNLF has never used landmines because, “we do not procure it knowing fully well its international implications,” asserted the statement.
Whatever explosives the UNLF use are booby traps used as early warning system against the enemy whenever there is direct confrontation with the security personnel, added the outfit.
The public are warned about the location of the booby traps, said UNLF and added that the media may verify this from the village authorities concerned.
Accusing the Indian security force of using local people as human ‘mine sweepers’ the outfit said that this amount to violating the right to life of the people.
UNLF further said that revolutionary groups of Manipur have never harmed the people, especially in the hill region, and added that laying ‘landmines’ is something which they have never resorted to.
Source: The Sangai Express
See also:
- Environmental Clearance of Tipaimukh Dam by MoEF (October 31st, 2008)
- Chakka bandh on Sep 18 against Tipaimukh dam (September 17th, 2008)
- 1 lakh Manipur villagers hit by bamboo flowering (September 2nd, 2008)
- Heavy security to be deployed on 99 km stretch of road to Tipaimukh dam (July 29th, 2008)
- Army launches Tipaimukh vigil (April 30th, 2008)