Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant
General Rana Pratap Kalita flagged concern over the availability of a large
number of firearms with warring groups in Manipur coupled with instability in
neighbouring Myanmar.
Lt Gen Kalita expressed it has grave
implications for the situation in the strife-torn Northeastern State.
He said the Army and the Assam Rifles,
in concert with Manipur Police and the CAPF deployed, have been able to control
the violence to a large extent in the State, where the Meitei and the Kuki
communities are at loggerheads with each other.
“The availability of a large number of
weapons with both communities, as also the instability in Myanmar across the
border, has certain implications for the situation in Manipur,” warned General
Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Army Command, Lt General Kalita.
He was speaking to reporters after a
wreath-laying ceremony at the Vijay Smarak in the Eastern Command headquarters
Fort William here on the occasion of Vijay Diwas on Saturday.
Stating that though there are chances of
some sporadic incidents of violence taking place in the strife-torn State, he
said the aim of the Army and Assam Rifles have been to control such occurrences
to a large extent.
“While peace and reconciliation process
is being carried out by the Central and the State governments, our focus has
been on reducing the violence parameter,” he said.
Kalita, however, said it is difficult to
give a time limit in resolving the problem which has got a lot of historic and
legacy issues.
The Eastern Army commander said the Army
and the Assam Rifles, who were called in following clashes that broke out in
Manipur between the Kukis and the Meiteis on May 3 this year, were within a
short time able to establish some semblance of law and order and the situation was
brought under control.
Greeting the over 70-member Bangladeshi
delegation, including 30 Mukti Joddhas, serving Bangladesh Army officers and
family members, on the occasion, Kalita said the epic victory of Bharat in the
1971 war against Pakistan not only led to the birth of a new nation but also
changed the geopolitics of south Asia.
“Eastern Command was at the forefront of
the 1971 war, hence Vijay Diwas occupies a special place of pride in the
history of the command,” he said.
The highest degree of dedication and
commitment towards the accomplishment of assigned tasks has kept the Eastern
Command fully geared to any challenges, Kalita added.
PTI
