Whether it is a Church or a Temple or a Mosque, a place of worship is a holy place where people gather together to worship God. To use such a place of worship as a military base for military operations is the height of insult against the believers of any faith. Such an act is an act of premeditated desecration of a people’s faith and the God in whom the people believe. Such acts have indeed provoked wars in human history.
The recent occupation of the Mekokla Baptist Church by the 28 Assam Rifles on October 22, 2016 for military operations is an open challenge to every Naga Christian in particular and the whole of Christendom in general. We Nagas will remember your challenge and insult against our faith, our culture and our God.
We also still remember how three of our young girls were raped on the Church pulpit of Yanklei Baptist Church in August 1971. Yes, we also remember how our sister Mayangkokla and our brother Kikamongba were stripped naked and forced to perform the act of intercourse on the floors of the Church at Ungma village on February 24, 1957. Yes, we will remember because- Forever etched into our national memories and consciousness are all these heinous and insulting acts that you have inflicted on our deepest national feelings and psyche.
And after committing all these insulting acts on us, dare you ever call yourselves: “Friends of the hill people?” Do not add salt into injury by calling us your friends.
Kaka D. Iralu
