Lamka | Sep 17: The Zomi Re-unification Organisation, a constituent outfit of the UPF has yesterday called for speeding up the process of political dialogue even as it inaugurated a designated camp at New Teikot, about 8 kms from Singngat sub-divisional headquarters and subse-quently deposited arms in a double-locked depot in the presence of the district’s top security officials.
Calvin H, secretary of ZRO’s ministry of external affairs who delivered a speech on behalf of its President said their gesture is made as a confidence building measure to signify their commitment to a durable and honourable political solution for the Zo people, and to re-affirm that it believes in the goodwill and sincerity of the Government in taking forward their legitimate demands for political autonomy.
He also took the opportunity to call for a reciprocal move from the Government in the form of political dialogue. ‘I must re-state that as we have shown that we wish to settle our political desires through peaceful means we expect reciprocal moves from the government. It is therefore our appeal that the government and its agencies speed up the process of political dialogue by building on the trust and faith the organisations have shown,’ he said.
Today’s inauguration of ‘Camp Muvanlai’ that will house the ZRA cadres and their arms, as per the agreement in the SoO is another bold step taken by the outfit on the road to what it believes is a political solution, he added.
To his kindred tribesmen, Calvin, the highest ranking leader of the outfit to speak on the occasion suggests that one-and-all strive for a ‘common political autonomy,’ which he said is the need of the changing times. He said, ‘It falls upon this generation of national workers to construct and have a better place and space under the sun for the marginalized Zo! For too too long have we wandered aimlessly and with daggers drawn.’
Brigadier Surender Mehta, Commander 27 Sector Assam Rifles in his address moments after inaugurating the designated camp lauded the outfit leadership for taking such a bold step of inaugurating the camp and depositing arms despite the massive trust deficit in the land. He also commended the outfit for selecting a strategically located site for the camp, and for taking up suitable infrastructure within it. He later in the day supervises the deposition of arms, alongside the Superintendent of Police GB Sharma, CO of 30 AR Colonel Atul Kumar and OC of Singngat Police Station. The Brigadier also expresses his desire to see the many young cadets that would spend their time on the camp to wisely utilize those times for education.
Spreading over a large area on two hill-tops, Camp Muvanlai, housing 5 main barracks complete with a kitchen each, 6 separate barracks, 7 sentry posts, an arms depot, 3 water tanky, and a Chapel was constructed using over 58 lakhs of which 38 lakhs were sanctioned by the government. The camp had a barbed fence all along and a steel gate as well. The approach road though, was hostile and it took nearly a dozen Shaktiman to ferry the crowd that gathers yesterday at the camp. Some opted to walk for over an hour to avoid the risks of riding the Shaktimans.
~ TSE
