Press Release
Dated
Aizawl, the 21st August 2020
Zo Indigenous Forum is sad to learn about the
recent moves of the Assam Rifles personnel on Vairengte Area in Mizoram which
put the lives of thousands of Mizo people at risk due to covid19.
On 18th August 2020, at least 13
personnel of 46 Battalion Assam Rifles forced their way through the border gate
after refusing to comply with the medical screening protocol put in place by
the state government. “Despite various
regulations, orders, guidelines and instructions issued by the state government
and repeated appeals to curtail avoidable inter-state movement of troops, the
Assam Rifles has been less cooperative,” stated the Mizoram State
government.
They were asked to undergo RAT test at entry
point, a very effective measure the state government has taken up to contain
COVID19. Other forces like Border Security Force personnel readily comply with
this measure while the Assam Rifles personnel forcefully and impolitely refused
to comply with the state government's guidelines. What is even more shocking is
that around 25 army personnel with full arms and ammunition commanded by a
Captain visited Vairengte from Aizawl. We believe that this is a tactic used by
the Assam Rifles to threaten government officials and Vairengte villagers.
According to the state government, as many as
1,124 Assam Rifles personnel entered Mizoram from May to August 10, and 10 per
cent of them tested positive for Covid-19. As per State health department
records, at least 339 security personnel have tested positive for Covid-19 so
far, accounting for 38.83 per cent of the total 873 cases. Of the 339 security
personnel, 101 were from Assam Rifles, 230 from BSF and four each from the CRPF
and the Army, it said.
The Zo Indigenous Forum strongly condemns the
moves of the Indian Armed Forces forcefully and impolitely refusing to comply
with the state government's guidelines, putting thousands of Mizo people live
at risk of spreading the global COVID19 pandemic. There is no emergency or
threat to security of the nation, which is an excuse of the Assam Rifles under
the pretext of the order of directions of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
This act of willful disregard of safety protocol had “seriously compromised”
the safety of the people and we would like to ask all security personnel in the
country to respect the state government guidelines and the people of Mizoram.
UNDRIP Article 30 clearly mentions that Military
activities shall not take place in the lands or territories of indigenous
peoples, unless justified by a relevant public interest or otherwise freely
agreed with or requested by the indigenous peoples concerned, but without any
emergency and threat for the states, aggressive military activities and
increasing presence of defense personnel in the indigenous territories of
north-east India is a grave concern for us.
Zo Indigenous Forum