Our Correspondent
Kohima, Dec. 9 (EMN): A tribute programme in honour of the 14 innocent civilians killed by the paramilitary forces in Mon district, was held at Capital Cultural Hall in Kohima on Thursday.
Speaking at the event, Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio thanked the Konyak community for displaying maturity in this time of grief and appealed to avoid violence, not because they are weak but because they are strong.
“Today I stand before you, not just as the Chief Minister of Nagaland, but as a fellow-Naga and a fellow-mourner,” he said.
“Our Konyak brethren are the bravest and the fiercest among the Naga people. Your land is the land of the Anghs. I understand your anger and sadness. I know that you can retaliate in violence. But I appeal to you not to retaliate violently - not because you cannot, but because you will not; not because you are weak but because you are strong; not because you are cowardly, but because you are courageous.
“This is the time for you to defeat violence with non-violence. This is the time for the biggest Naga tribe to show the world that they also have the biggest heart. Let me take this opportunity to thank the families of the 14 deceased Konyak brothers, the ENPO, KU, KSU, KNSK, ENSF, and the Konyak people as a whole for displaying maturity and magnanimity in the present crisis situation,” he added.
He also said that everyone attending the tribute programme in honour of the 14 youth, whose lives had been cut short by the careless act of the Indian security forces, might have come with a prayerful heart, praying for the bereaved family members in particular and the people of Nagaland in general.
Rio said that the Oting incident was a clear case of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) abuse and that it was not the first time where civilians had to bear the brunt of the draconian law that legitimises killing on mere suspicion.
He added that Nagaland and the Naga people have opposed this Act for decades and would continue to do so.
In this regard, he appealed to the Nagas to shun violence and the political groups to give up arms.
“Let us say that we do not want AFSPA. But let us also show that we do not need AFSPA. Let us also make sure that we do not, in any way, allow any force to derail the hard-won peace process. Nagas have suffered violence, generation after generation. And today we are saying, ‘Enough is enough!’. I also say with you, ‘Enough is enough!,” he stated.
The CM also thanked everyone -- politicians and leaders who have spoken out for Nagas in Parliament, media, intellectuals, tourists etc. -- who have shown support to the Naga people in this difficult time. He thanked the music fraternity of Nagaland in particular for the memorial service.
“It is my hope that the rest of India and the world will not only understand our story but also feel our pulse of wanting lasting peace. It is my prayer that during this dark time, the light of Christmas that Christ brings, will continue to shine in Nagaland,” he concluded.
Also speaking at the event, NPF Legislature Party Leader, TR Zeliang said that at a time when the Naga people were anticipating a final breakthrough to the Indo-Naga political issue, the unfortunate incident had come as a "huge shock" to all.
While urging the state government to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators behind the killings of the innocent civilians, he said AFSPA has brought nothing good to the nation ever since its inception in 1958, other than pain and suffering which disintegrated the country further.
'It is high time for the top leaders of the country to identify all the black spots in Indian history and repeal such unwanted acts immediately in order to prevent all kinds of inhuman atrocities meted out to each citizen out of such black law,' Zeliang added.
He affirmed that every year, the state government including the governor of the state had been writing to the Ministry of Home Affairs against the application of AFSPA in the state. However, he said that the Centre continued to extend the Act, despite signing ceasefire agreement with the NSCM (IM) since 1997, followed by the singing of Framework Agreement between the two on August 3, 2015, and the Agreed Position between the Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups and GOI on November 17, 2017.
He felt that it was high time for the entire Northeast region to come together and fight for "our right".
H Angnyei Konyak, President of Konyak Union Kohima, informed that they had submitted a memorandum with some charter of demands to the President of India, Union Home Minister of India, dignitaries of the Centre and the state after the incident.
"By feeling the pain, hearing the cry and seeing the unity of the people all over the world, the Central government of the day with God-gifted wisdom should immediately revoke the AFSPA without any delay," he said.
"With this Act still existing, we don't want to see another Oting in the country," he added.
Konyak urged the fellow Nagas to unite and fight for their rights now ‘lest they don't know who would be the next victim’. He also urged the gathering not to be silent in fighting for justice.
"We will not break the momentum we are getting at this hour," he said.
Stating that the hard earned peace and harmony in the land was due to the initiatives of the leaders of the churches, tribals, student bodies and Naga people from all walks of life, he reminded the Indian Army not to take advantage of the so-called words ‘peace-loving society’.
Deputy CM, Y Patton while informing about the critical condition of the injured persons, who are undergoing treatment in hospitals, appealed to churches throughout the state to remember them in their prayers for speedy recovery.
He said the doctors had informed that the broken pieces of bullets in the bodies of two patients might have to remain inside their bodies for the rest of their lives.
He added that out of the eight injured, two patients were admitted to a hospital in Dibrugarh and six in Dimapur.
K Theunuo, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Kohima Smart City Development Limited, informed this newspaper that the tribute programme was the first event being held at the Capital Cultural Hall after its recent inauguration.