EMN
Dimapur, November 19
The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) reminded the Assam Rifles that overriding action jeopardises the peaceful coexistence between paramilitary force and the law abiding citizens which was avoidable if not so determined.
The Council said, notice served officially by Assam Rifles to local media houses has encroached upon the area of freedom of press ensured by fundamental rights.
“Of late, the Assam Rifles who coined themselves as ‘Friends of the hill people’ created furors with their hill people with the press in an attempt to bully the local media for publication of certain news item about NSCN (K) which is now banned by 501,” a statement issued by Media Cell, NTC said.
On Leangkonger incident, the NTC condemned the killing of four Naga youths and the way Assam Rifles has been handling law and order situation in the State. The NTC further demanded to the State government for an immediate investigation to the incident and book the culprits as per appropriate law.
“The second ruckus was the shooting down of 4 Naga youth at Leangkonger village on 15.11.2015. Although there were diverse versions on the account of the incident, the local organisations namely Western Yimchunger Hoho and Yimchungrü Akherü Arih Ako (YAA) expressively implicated Assam Rifles for its highhandedness. The victims belong to NSCN (Khole/Kitovi) group which has been in cease fire with GOI.
Although the state Govt. has not instituted any official inquiry into the incident and consequently our reaction has to be based on paper reports, the way those four victims had to face untimely death was inhuman. Reportedly known that all the four were arrested by Assam Rifles first and instead of handing over those to civil authorities as per normal procedure, they were killed in the name of confrontation. The action is barbaric and inhuman.”
Judging the incident, the NTC posed a series of questions. “Is it the policy of GOI to annihilate all those Naga political groups (NPGs) while it is having dialogue with one group? What is the logic and intention of the GOI for promulgation of Disturb Area Act all over the state of Nagaland and imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act of 1958 while GOI has been having cease fire with not less than three political groups for over a decade? Is the GOI engaging in peace process with one NPG while waging war against other NPGs and the citizens through brute force?”
