Reyivolü Rhakho
Dimapur, Dec. 15 (EMN): The December 4 tragedy has drawn global attention yet little is known about the village that has been left shaken by the brutal killing of 13 of its sons (excluding the one killed in Mon) by the Indian security forces.
Nestled on a hilltop, Oting village is situated in the north of Mon headquarters and is surrounded by mountains and valleys. It was established in 1864 and has a population of about 1500 with a little more than 200 households, as per local estimation.
The village is nearly a two-hour drive away from Tizit headquarters.
The main occupation of the people was farming a decade ago before they shifted to coal mining. Today, about 50% of the village population has left farming for coal business, according to Oting Angh Tahwang, who is the seventh-generation Angh or the village chief.
‘There was no option except farming decades ago but with time and better road connectivity, villagers have now explored into other occupations and businesses, among which were timber and coal mining,’ he said.
The villagers have been peacefully working in coal mines all these years and had never faced any untoward incidents while going about their day until December 4, he added.
‘Coal mining is seasonal. During winter and before Christmas, villagers work at the coal mine to earn money for the festive season. They would take a break during Christmas and would resume working in the mine when school admission season starts. Parents work in the coal mine to support their children’s admission fees,’ he said.
He went on to say that wage defers based on season. During peak season, daily wagers earn about INR 2000 to 3000 (maximum) per day, while it is INR 500 during off season.
In 1958, the village was awarded with a “commendation certificate in appreciation of the very special merit and zeal displayed by them in the discharge of the duties entrusted to them”, by the then Governor of Assam, Naga Hills Tuensang Area, Government of India, Saiyid Fazl Ali.
Notably, late Chingai Wangsha from Oting village, who joined the administrative service in 1922, was the first gazetted officer among the Konyaks. He stopped the headhunting practice and brought peace to the land of Konyaks. He also founded the current Mon headquarters and other administrative posts.
He was awarded with several medals including ‘1939-1945 star medal’, ‘Emperor George V medal’, ‘the Burma star’, commendation medal from PM of India 1952, and Governor’s commendation certificate. He was also declared as the ‘Father of the Konyaks’ by the Konyak Students’ Union in 1984 after he died on Jan. 21 the same year.
A monolith has been erected in the compound of the village Angh in his honour by his children, grandchildren, and relatives.
Several people from the village had served and are serving in the Indian Army, one of whom was late S Konyak (Naga regiment), who son had to dodge bullets of the 21 para commandos on the dreadful evening of December 4.
The site is about a 30-minute bumpy and dusty ride down from the inhabited area of Oting. The road to Yatong is narrow and four-wheeler vehicles have to wait at certain locations to overtake or pass oncoming vehicle.
There were no check gates in the entire stretch of Tiru-Oting road when Eastern Mirror visited last week. At the ambush site, bushes were fully grown on both sides of the one-lane road.
The road condition is such that to drive at a speed of 10 km per hour is not practical, depicting a picture of neglect.
Like any other villagers trying hard to wrap their heads around the whys of the incident, pastor of Oting Baptist Church Nokyem observed: “In human nature, we say sorry or apologise for the mistakes done. But, there is not a single voice of apology. Does this mean the killing of civilians is pre-planned? Didn’t Nagas contribute to India by rendering service in the fight against East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and in the Kargil war?” he asked.
He also asked why the government’s ex-gratia payment of INR 5 lakh to the victims ‘came up abruptly’.
‘The sudden announcement of ex-gratia as soon as they (civilians) were killed and injured is not right,’ said the pastor. He went on to claim that prior to the incident, there were people in the village (of economically deprived sections) that needed financial assistance but it was not extended.
‘But what is the meaning of the government announcing ex-gratia after the incident? Is this (morally) right?’ he asked.
“A lot of people have now gone on record saying that the ambush was based on wrong information. But till date, nobody has raised concern over the need to find out the person who furnished ‘wrong information’ or is behind it. Only today did we learn that Indian intelligence is as weak as this,” Oting Angh Tahwang said while demanding to know the names of those who gave the information.
Killing of 13 unarmed civilians was a shocker to everyone in the village, he said, adding that he later learnt it was the 21para commandos of Jorhat who acted based on “wrong information”.
Every time such incidents happen, all blame goes to intelligence input. But “this is not a case of ‘mistaken identity’ but a case of ‘intelligence negligence’. We have to find out who is behind it. Revealing their identity is very important to us. Everyone is blaming the 21 para commandos but who gave them the information? We want (to know) the informer,” he demanded.
He further expressed shock at the ranking of the Indian Intelligence agency in the world domain and said it is the “worst intelligence agency”.
The Angh further informed that kidnapping of villagers by the security personnel is not uncommon in Oting, that too based on “wrong information”.
‘Villagers would be kidnapped during midnight or when they go to work. Being the case of just one or two persons kidnapped, less concern was shown earlier,’ he said.
But now, he expressed regret for not “strongly” fighting back then.
“Now that this incident has befallen us, we regret for not strongly fighting back before. If we fought back earlier, this incident might not have happened to us,” the Angh said.
Incidents of kidnapping in Oting are all to do with “intelligence negligence”, which he said, is also the case in the north-eastern region.
Prior to the incident, the village had a cordial relationship with the Indian Army.
‘They used to come to my house and take shelter. But, this incident has changed the story altogether,’ he added.
The Konyak Union has declared Dec. 4 and the 5th as Black Day, which will be observed every year to commemorate the massacre of the 14 civilians. Its 7-day mourning period had culminated on December 13 but not the fight for justice. From across the region, India and beyond, people have extended solidarity and denounced the atrocious act of the security personnel.
Oting may be just another village for outsiders, but for people who call it home, it is now filled with painful memories, which will live on for years to come.
The village guard of Oting had said: ‘We have to remember one another in prayer and stand united more so in this time of suffering.’
Perhaps, that is what Nagas as a whole need to do for now and in the future.