[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is with sorrow and regrets that two female passengers traveling at night in a Sumo from Dimapur to Zunheboto along with the male passengers were subjected to such brutality as torture and physical abuse around Aghilito village junction near Satakha town in Zunheboto district on December 21 morning at 2 about am. The driver was later taken further into the jungle, beaten with sticks and butts accusing him of being a bootlegger and a pimp.As for the two females, a lady missionary of Fire and Wind Ministry, Arunachal Pradesh and an HSLC student were also reportedly stripped nude at gun point and made to undergo such barbarity. To use the word molestation in this case is an understatement. And this had to happen when the world is anticipating the joys of Christmas.
Sumi frontal bodies—Sumi Hoho, Sumi Totimi Hoho (STH), the apex mothers’ body and Sumi Kikami (GBs) Hoho and others rushed to the victims’ residence and took details from them. Following a public rally wherein church leaders and civil societies like SKK and SBAK participated, they vehemently condemned the vulgar and barbaric acts, they have with every reason, and right, to vow to bring the culprits to book with “befitting punishment.” They have also warned that “any individual or organisation found sheltering those criminals will face dire consequences.”
Although initially the identities of the criminals were not ascertained except that they belonged to a militant outfit, the various Zunheboto based organisations have now served a three-day ultimatum w.e.f. December 22 to the NSCI(IM) collective leadership to hand over the erring cadres to the District administration. They have also threatened to withdraw cooperation and support to the NSCN(IM) in case of non-compliance from the date of publication of the resolutions adopted. An FIR with regard to the incident has also been also lodged with the Zunheboto Police station on Sunday evening.
This brings us again to the most asked question as to whether the various outfits who are supposed to be Naga national workers, are truly still fighting for realization of Naga political aspirations? Any particular group cannot be strictly pinpointed because numerous of their cadres have been known to keep shifting from one faction to the other and in some cases they return to their original organisation.
It is also true that the reasons for their defections are hardly due to political ideologies or differences with the leaderships concerned. Some desert with their weapons or large amount of funds or both and they have been killing each other off every now and then. No doubt, stern actions have been taken against some erring cadres and some have even been handed over to the police while yet others had the misfortune of being caught by the Indian security forces. Overall, however, much is still required to be done.
Among the various factors that lead to such incidents involving our Naga brethren, one is most probably frustration possibly at all levels of their organizational hierarchy. Some have grown rich through taxations, drive around in expensive vehicles and reside in palatial buildings while a good number have to make do with whatever handouts they receive. To add fuel to the fire, there have been a number of fraudulent national workers also in a bid to extract/extort money. In such instances practically anybody is a likely target. That is why public reaction was manifested through the movement of ACAUT.
All this also implies that there is a glaring lack of coordination in the structure of command and control. Perhaps too a slackening of the faith. The Naga movement will continue in some way or the other but such barbarity is not expected from our brethren—besides, we are a small population as it is. Not only the gun culture and brutality but we need political wisdom and statesmanship if we are to survive as a people.
