Kohima: The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) has questioned and condemned the ‘impressments of civil vehicles’ exercise to be carried out by the Army 3 corps Rangapahar Military Station in Dimapur on Saturday.
The Deputy Commissioner and the District Magistrate of Dimapur had on Thursday notified that the 3 corps Rangapahar station will be conducting an exercise regarding impressments of civil vehicles on September 29 and 30 at Dillai Gate (Diphu Road), New Field Gate (Golaghat Road) and ARTC area, while asking the public to kindly bear with the inconveniences.
The NPMHR said in a statement that the areas mentioned means that all entry and exit roads to and from Dimapur city will effectively be cordoned off and every civil vehicle (all non-military vehicles including government vehicles will be stopped, drivers and occupants will be interrogated and the army will requisition any vehicle of their choice.
Acknowledging that this may be only a kind of a mock drill of ‘requisitioning civilian vehicles for use for a full-scale war’, the rights body questioned why this is being done at a time when peace is echoing in all the Naga areas, barring sporadic incidences which does not qualify the notion of a war.
Pointing out that situations much worse during past decades did not demand the Indian Army to conduct ‘the exercise, it asked, ‘Why the signs of war at a time when peace is being negotiated.’
The NPMHR condemned the exercise and asked the Centre to explain to its citizens the motives and intents behind carrying out the exercise which will not only disrupt the normal life of the people in the next two days but will also instill fear in the days to come.
It also expressed its resentment over the manner in which the district administration had notified its citizens in a circular without giving sufficient time for people to understand and prepare.
It stressed that ‘peace must not be controlled by guns nor must the military in the guise of security be allowed to run roughshod over civilian codes and normal conduct of life’.
It also cautioned that in the event of any untoward incident taking place during this period, the state administration and its law-enforcing agencies will be held accountable for ‘undertaking such an alarming exercise with a lackadaisical attitude’, the communique said. (UNI)