Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Wednesday said that in view of the prevailing situation in Myanmar, security has been further tightened along the state’s around 400 km border with the neighbouring country.
“In view of the prevailing situation in Myanmar, we have deployed a huge number of our forces along the border. Not only Assam Rifles but state security forces, BSF, CRPF have been deployed. We are monitoring the situation strictly and closely,” the Chief Minister told media persons.
The Manipur Chief Minister’s remarks comes after 74 Myanmar soldiers fled to Indian territory after their camps in Chin state were captured by the Chin National Defence Force (CNDF), the armed wing of the Chin National Organisation (CNO).
Myanmar soldiers were apprehended by the Mizoram Police in Champhai district and handed over to Assam Rifles. The Indian forces handed over all the 74 soldiers to Myanmar Army officers at Tamu (opposite to Moreh border in Manipur) in the neighbouring country.
Besides soldiers, around 1,400 Myanmarese, including women and children, took shelter in Mizoram’s Champhai district last week following the gunfight between the Myanmar’s Tatmadaw (military) and CNDF cadres.
Claiming that normalcy is returning to the state, the Chief Minister said that some elements are trying to create trouble.
“Destruction of the prefabricated temporary houses for the displaced people is unfortunate. Now, we have provided security and reconstruction of the prefabricated houses will be started again.
In the last one or two months, normalcy has been restored in most parts of the state except for one of two incidents occurred recently. “We condemn these acts. We should work together to restore normalcy in Manipur,” he said.
On Monday two people including a security personnel were killed in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district.
The 48-hour total shutdown in the Kangpokpi district imposed by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), Sadar Hills ended on Wednesday while its economic blockade along Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) and Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37) is still underway.
These two vital highways are life lines of Manipur.
Volunteers were seen at various locations enforcing the total shutdown. However, there was no report of any untoward incident.
The protesters, mostly Kuki-Zo womenfolk, chanted slogans such as, “We Demand CBI inquiry”, “We Want Justice”, “We Demand Separate Administration”, etc.
CoTU’s Media Cell Coordinator, N.G. Lun Kipgen said that Monday’s ambush taking two innocent Kuki-Zo precious lives was the second fatal ambush carried out by the disguised valley-based insurgent outfits in the region donning state forces camouflage, armed with sophisticated weapons.
The CoTU has been demanding the central government’s intervention to maintain the law and order situation in the tribal dominated areas of Manipur.
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