News Analysis India

Tag: Nagaland civilians killings

  • Nagaland civilians killings: Konyak bodies harden stand against military

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Hardening their stand, civil society organisations in Nagaland’s Mon district declared that “total restriction on the convoy of Indian military force and patrolling” within the Konyaks’ soil will continue until justice is delivered to the 14 civilians killed on December 4 and 5 by the security forces.

    “In accordance with the declaration made on December 7, the Konyaks (tribesmen) shall not withdraw their non-cooperation to the Indian military forces until their charter of demands is fulfilled,” the organisations said.

    According to their fresh “regulations”, no military recruitment rally would be allowed within Mon district and no Konyak youth should participate in such recruitment rally.

    ​ALSO READ | Families of Nagaland firing victims decline compensation, demand justice first

    The organisations directed land owners to immediately denounce the past land agreements signed for the setting up of military base camps within Konyak areas.

    Another regulation is on severing all forms of public relations with the Indian military.

    No Konyak village councils, students or any society must accept any forms of developmental packages/sops from the military. Any forms of assured packages/sops from the military forces, if any, must be denounced, the statement said.

    ​ALSO READ | Nagaland firing incident proves high time AFSPA is repealed from NE: Irom Sharmila

    The organisations asked the state government to take complete responsibility of the two survivors of December 4 incident who were undergoing treatment in Assam. They are the witnesses and hence, their medical treatment, safety and recovery must be taken up by the state government, the statement said.

    The organisations directed the Oting village council to denounce the “commendable certificate” awarded to Oting village by the Centre in 1958 for assisting it in maintaining peace in the region.

  • Nagaland civilians killings: Six-hour long bandh, call passes off peacefully in state

    By PTI

    KOHIMA: A six-hour ‘bandh’ (shutdown) imposed on Monday by Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) to protest the killing of 14 civilians by security forces passed off peacefully, despite minor skirmishes between students and security forces.

    Briefing media-persons at the NSF conference hall here Monday, NSF president Kegwayhun Tep and general secretary Siipuni Ng.

    Philo said the shutdown was to protest the shooting down of civilians and in solidarity with the family of victims.

    The ‘bandh’ was imposed in the respective jurisdiction by the federating units of NSF, he said, adding that there was no report of any untoward incident as the Nagas in general stood in solidarity from 6.00 am to 12 Noon.

    ​ALSO READ | Nagaland firing incident case of mistaken identity, govt expresses regret: Amit Shah in Lok Sabha

    “The sole purpose of this bandh was to display our grief, our anger and our sentiments…..Naga people are free people and we have every right to defend what we have,” they said.

    Meanwhile, the Federation appealed to the state government to cancel the remaining few days of the Hornbill festival as a mark of respect to the dead.

    Maintaining that it is aware of the monetary packages being announced as ex-gratia by both the state and central governments for the victims, the NSF however said the government must know that the Nagas people cannot be bought with money.

    ALSO WATCH:

    “Justice has to be done at all cost,” the NSF office bearers said, adding that “repealing of the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers’ Act will be the best way to honour their (dead civilians) sacrifices.

    NSF also asked he government to hold a special session of the State Assembly to discuss the matter and recommend revocation of AFSPA.

    During the six-hour bandh, the NSF also put up banners and placards some of which read “We stand in solidarity with our Naga brethrens — The innocent civilians who were brutally killed at Oting village, Mon district”, “Nagas have every right to live in peace”.

    In Mokokchung district, Ao Students Conference condemning the “massacre of innocent civilians” held a silent procession demanding justice and revocation of AFSPA.

    Beside the six-hour shutdown call of NSF, other civil societies and tribal bodies also imposed bandh in the respective areas with Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industries enforcing total bandh in Dimapur for 12 hours and Lotha Hoho imposing band in Wokha district.