Our Correspondent
Kohima, Dec. 12 (EMN): A mammoth crowd gathered at Old MLA Hostel in the state capital on Sunday evening for another candlelight service held as a tribute for the civilians who were killed by security forces in Mon district on Dec. 4.
Speaking at the event, V Kashiho Sangtam, minister for Soil and Water Conservation, Geology and Mining, while sharing grief and sorrow on behalf of the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) to the departed Oting brothers, condemned the “gruesome act” meted out to the civilians who were ‘innocent and had done nothing wrong in the eye of the law’.
“The army has taken advantage of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) to kill people since 1958,” he said, stating that the repeal of the “draconian AFSPA has long been a standing demand of the people of Nagaland and other Northeastern states.”
Under this act, the para military forces are given immunity for protection against any type of prosecution for atrocities committed during the operation, Sangtam asserted.
To obstruct such “unwanted activities by the paramilitary forces,” he informed that Nagaland government had held a special meeting on December 7, and passed the Cabinet memo to repeal AFSPA to the Government of India (GOI), while a special investigation team (SIT) was set up to complete the investigation.
The minister also informed how the Army has also set up a court of inquiry headed by a major general to probe the circumstances in Mon district.
ENLU assured people of Oting and the Konyak brothers that they would give “utmost initiative” to let the government of Nagaland and Indian Union ‘give an impartial judgment so that the culprits are punished as per the law.’
“If appropropriate action is not taken, we the ENLU will in no circumstance give up our fight,” Sangtam said, adding, “Though we are in a sick bed or in our dead grave, we will rise up and demand for justice”.
Expressing sympathies to the bereaved families, N Toshi Chang, president of Eastern Naga Public Union Kohima (ENPUK), said, “It is very tragic and painful, and we want the families to know that all the Nagas throughout the world are grieving with them”.
Despite the firing incident claiming precious lives, “the ill-fated episode has shaken the entire Naga community and has brought us all together; reigniting people’s enthusiasm for the long forgotten cause”, he said.
Chang said they wanted GOI to know that their “tears will not dry easily”, stating that they had assembled not only to remember and pay respects to the victims, but also to seek justice for them and ensure that such a “heinous crime against the people” will never happen again.
“We will never let this go! We will stand together; we will fight together,” he said.
Expressing shock and profound distress at the tragic loss of lives that has happened in Oting-Mon on the December 4 and 5, Lemei B Phom, president of Eastern Nagaland Women Organisation (ENWO), Kohima unit, said, “No reason can justify the killing, murder of our own sons and brothers”.
Condemning the “barbaric act” of the security forces , she assured the rest of the Konyak brothers and sisters their prayers, adding, “we share your determination, applaud and whatever you are doing for our fallen sons to bring justice”.
The unit also requested the government to seriously take up the issue, bring a solution and justice at the earliest for the people. “Free us, free Nagas from AFSPA. Repeal and revoke AFSPA from the most peaceful state - our very own Nagaland,” Phom urged.
Songs were presented by Yemkongsomba, Manngam and Angam while the crowd also prayed and sang a hymn entitled, “It is well with my soul” during the candlelight service in the evening.