Proscribed armed group PREPAK has strongly criticized recent remarks made by CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh regarding the eradication of insurgency in the region, describing the statement as “inhumane, cruel and barbaric.”
In a statement issued by Leibaak Ngaakpa Luwang, Charge-de-Affaires, Publicity and Propaganda, PREPAK alleged that the CRPF chief’s remarks reflected an intention to suppress the movement through military force rather than addressing what it termed the historical and political issues of Kangleipak (Manipur). The outfit also claimed that the comments contradicted observations made by former Major General S.C. Chopra of the 57 Mountain Division in 1995, who had referred to the region’s armed groups as insurgents rather than terrorists.
The outfit took exception to the DG’s reported assertion that security personnel should respond forcefully to armed attacks and that comprehensive measures would be taken against armed groups operating outside the law. It also objected to remarks linking the state’s law-and-order situation to armed groups and individuals allegedly possessing illegal weapons.
PREPAK further alleged that the statement failed to address public concerns arising from the ethnic violence that began on May 3, 2023, including demands for justice, an end to killings and the rehabilitation of displaced persons. It accused Indian security agencies of pursuing a militarised approach while ignoring political grievances.
The statement also criticized the continued enforcement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), alleging widespread human rights violations and citing pending cases related to alleged extrajudicial killings. It referred to incidents in various parts of Manipur and the Oting massacre in Nagaland to support its allegations against security forces.
Advancing its political position, PREPAK argued that national liberation movements and the right to self-determination should not be equated with terrorism. Citing international law, United Nations resolutions and historical anti-colonial movements, the outfit maintained that struggles for self-determination are distinct from acts of terrorism and claimed that international legal principles recognize such movements under certain circumstances.
The statement reiterated PREPAK’s demand for recognition of what it described as the right to self-determination of the people of Manipur and urged the public to remain aware of what it termed the political and historical dimensions of the conflict.
