Wancho, a resident of insurgency-hit Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh, came in large numbers on Monday to hold a massive protest rally in Longding and Kanubari towns against the alleged illegal taxation and kidnapping being carried out by the NSCN K-YA group. In area.
Holding placards and banners with ‘No Extortion’, ‘No Kidnapping’ and ‘No More Humiliation’, the agitated youths raised slogans against the atrocities allegedly committed by the insurgent outfit along with the villagers. The deep anguish against the group was evident from the emotionally charged atmosphere during the protest rallies.
Sources said that due to continued pressure of relentless successful operations by security forces against insurgent groups in Longding district and villagers’ refusal to pay illegal house tax to banned organisations, NSCN K-YA and others recently adopted a new strategy.
To escape the security forces, henchmen of the banned groups are exploiting the Mon district of neighboring Nagaland as a safe haven to organize their illegal activities. The rebels fraudulently invite innocent villagers to the border villages of Nagaland for discussion and forcibly take them into custody to demand ransom. On a few occasions, armed insurgent groups entered the jungles of Nagaland and kidnapped village officials to demand ransom.
Angered by the activities being carried out by the extremist groups, the Wancho Council, the apex tribal body of Longding district, took a unanimous decision on May 24, 2022, to protest the illegal activities.
He appealed to the Tirap Changlang People’s Forum to express solidarity with them on the same ground.
The protest was an open expression and a united stance of civil society against the rebel groups operating in the region. This is a sign of the dwindling support base of the rebels in the Wancho region. Observers say the renewed courage of local villagers and their faith in the security forces and government administration will go a long way in restoring peace and normalcy in the militancy-hit region of Arunachal Pradesh.
Nafo Nigam, the village head of Loxim village in Longding district of Arunachal, was abducted by five NSCN K-YA activists on May 7. The alleged activists were in combat attire with long-range weapons when abducting the man.
The NSCN K-YA finally freed Nefo on 10 May. Longtime Superintendent of Police Vikram Harimohan Meena confirmed the safe release.
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