EMN
DIMAPUR, JULY 18
The Naga Hoho while condemning the killing of two innocent students and injuring another woman has said that defiance to traditions and customary practices of the local people by the security forces has led to the impasse.
It then urged upon the government of Nagaland to establish the truth behind the taking away of innocent lives and award befitting punishment for whosoever is found guilty.
“We also caution the security forces that failure to respect the customary practices of the people will only vitiate the peaceful atmosphere.
Utmost restraint, rather than perpetrating violence on the civilian will win the heart of the people. Let no civilian lives be lost in the garb of maintaining law and order hereafter,” the Naga Hoho stated. It then fervently appealed to both the government of India and NSCN-K for immediate restoration of ceasefire to foster peace and tranquility in the land. Avoidable incident: CM
The Chief Minister while expressing his ‘deepest’ condolences to the family members of the two students, who were killed in the firing incident that took place at Phor village under Phek district on July 16, has termed it as ‘avoidable incident’.
The Chief Minister then urged upon all concerned to desist from firing in public places so as to avoid innocent casualties. As announced earlier, an inquiry is being set up to go into details of the incident, the statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said.
On the direction of the chief minister, the DGP Nagaland along with the Commissioner, Nagaland and the Home Commissioner visited the spot to take stock of the situation. They are expected to submit their recommendations upon their return to Kohima, the CMO added.
Pochury Hoho accuses AR of killing
Amid conflicting reports over killing of two students on July 16, Pochury Hoho today alleged that the Assam Rifles personnel had fired upon the innocent public who were waiting to request the latter to hand over the dead body of the slain ‘captain’ Puhachu of Wuzu village.
According to Pochury Hoho president, Penthu Pochury, he said this basing on witnesses account during the spot verification conducted jointly by the Pochury Hoho (PH), Pochury Mothers’ Association (PMA), Pochury Students’ Union (PSU), Pochury GBs Union (PGBU), Phoyisha Public Organisation, Executive Secretary of Pochury Baptist Church Council, Executive Secretary of Pochury Council of Nagaland Christian Revival Church, VCCs and other public leaders. As per reports obtained from the villagers, the Hoho stated that there were no armed NSCN (K) cadres at the time of the incident.
The Pochury Hoho statement claimed that the firing first started from the personnel of the third convoy vehicle (Gypsy) of Assam Rifles followed by the personnel from the other vehicles. It said the personnel of AR were guilty of indiscriminate firing, killing and injuring innocent civilians. The people of Pochury have strongly condemned the ‘ruthless action’ of the armed personnel and demanded the government to immediately revoke the imposition of Disturbed Area Act (DAA) and to set up an ‘Enquiry Commission’ at the earliest in order to bring back normalcy under Meluri sub division.
The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has called on the state government to “clear the air” on the incident at Phor village in which two schoolchildren were killed in a shootout between NSCN (K) members and personnel of the Assam Rifles.
A press statement from the NTC on Saturday stated that “in the event of conflicting reports on the whole incident, it is imperative for the State Government to clear the air with ground realities for end of justice on the terror incident.”The NTC, while stating that it was against any form of violence, said that it “vehemently” condemns the killing of the two schoolchildren.
It also expressed surprise at the promulgation of Disturb Area Act in the entire state of Nagaland. “Obviously the imposition of military law was stemmed from an incident occurred on 4.6.2015 in Chandel District in Manipur State in which not less than 18 security personals were killed by suspected NSCN(K) and its allies.
“The enforcement of DAA in Nagaland for an incident that happened in Manipur is most ridiculous and maliciously intended. Indeed, there was no justification for GOI to impose such miserable law in Nagaland at the time when most of the potent U/G factions in Nagaland have been in cease fire with GOI,” it stated.
The NTC further pointed out that the state government was not taken into confidence by New Delhi prior to imposing the Act. “This implies clear indication that the GOI has no respect for the popular and constitutionally elected government in Nagaland for the fact that much unilateral decisions of the centre have overrun the very existence of a legitimate government.”
It stated that the government of India appears to have “completely run out of civilized senses” to deal with dissensions under the democratic system and act befitting of the largest democracy in the world. “To engage on war against its own citizens putting the life and security of the innocent citizens at the mercy of the combatants under draconian laws has send an alarming signal of re-visiting the horrors of annihilation reminding the people of the hell bent in the 50s, 60s, 70s when men, women and children were butchered like animals and worst possible crimes and shameful acts were committed on the womenfolk,” it stated.
The NTC stated that it was amazed at how the state with all its forces could not maintain law and order in the state warranting the GOI to impose its draconian Acts to assist the civil administration. “The state government of Nagaland has the highest Police force in all the states of India, in terms of population and police force ratio. The purpose of raising battalions of Police in Nagaland is to effectively handle the state’s internal security problems whatever may be its dimension. The state government is expected to purposefully utilize the service of its own state forces.”
As such, it urged the state government, not to “remain lukewarm or to be timid but to pass a strong resolution in the ensuing Assembly Session against the imposition of DAA in Nagaland, and demand the GOI to immediately roll back the imposition of DAA in the entire state of Nagaland.”
The Naga Council Dimapur and the Naga Women Hoho Dimapur, in a joint statement, have suggested that “the statement of the Assam Rifles blaming the innocent public and NSCN-K both for the mayhem is adding more fuel to the fire”, in connection with the killing of two schoolchildren at Phor village in Meluri sub-division.
“While forceful recruitment of children by the factions is an issue which cannot be overlooked, the killings of innocent class 7 children or any innocent citizens by the Army is an abomination which cannot be allowed to wilt away under any circumstances,” the statement read.
The Naga Council and Naga Women Hoho Dimapur condemns the killing of 2 school children and injuring of one women, all from Wuzu village under Meluri Sub-division on 16th July by the Assam Rifles in random, unprovoked firing, it stated.
“As long as the draconian AFSPA and Disturbed Area Act are in force in the state, the victims’ family will never get justice and Major Surinder Singh and his men will go scot free. Therefore, this Act has to go. It’s high time Naga civil society bury all internal differences and come together on the issue of AFSPA,” the statement said.
For the sake of clarification, the killing of schoolchildren took place at Phor village and not at Wuzu village. According to information available from the Assam Rifles, Phor and Wuzu are in close proximity, separated by not more than a kilometer.
This close proximity of the villages could probably be the reason why certain sections, including a local newspaper, are under the impression that the incident took place at Wuzu and not at Phor village. But as per inputs from the Assam Rifles, the incident had clearly occurred at Phor village.
