Dear Editor,
It is with immense pain and disappointment, we the collective group called, Arunachal Resists, consisting of the four families facing injustices; late Ojing Taying, late Toko Yame, late Arun Modi and late Ngurang Pinch together with thirty plus student organizations, community based organizations (CBOs) and other civil society organizations write to you today.
Arunachal Resists was formed as a response to the incessant murders and lawlessness in the state, unable to play complicit to wrongs in the society any longer. Especially, after having witnessed the evident failure of the state and its institutions in solving the four mentioned heinous murder cases. One need not be reminded of the brutal fate the four innocent individuals had to undergo; betrayed by friendship and the society and humanity hindsight. We can only remind you that the families are still crying and waiting for answers, let alone justice. It’s been more than a year of their individual struggle for justice, with no light at the end of the tunnel.
On November 20th 2018, the team Arunachal Resists had organised the biggest movement against state’s endemic lawlessness in the state. It was for the first time, the streets of Arunachal had witnessed angry and agitated youths in large numbers, and more than 3000 protestors were reported to march from Akash Deep to Tennis Court that day. The march was significant not just for the four families, who led the protests seeking justice but more importantly, the march condemned the 161 unresolved crimes from the last three years and also to demand for a better, secure society that upholds human rights, irrespective of tribes and clans.
At the end of the march, the four aggrieved families signed a memorandum placing their specific demands and presented it to the respective Government bodies, including the Chief Minister and the Home Minister. To remind the government and the public of Arunachal of those demands once again,
The demands were:
1. A time-bound report/investigation of 30 days for the said cases.
2. Should the Govt. fail to heed the families plead, there will be an indefinite democratic movement thereafter.
3. Resignation of the Home Minister on moral grounds.
Now, the time-bound investigation has exceeded long back, there has been neither report from the Police nor any communications from the government on the matter. And of course nothing from the CM and the Home minister.
Today, the four families and the group supporting in their struggle have nothing but few questions for the law makers and the police.
1. Why have you failed to respond to our demands?
2. Why is our protest and agitation not taken seriously until date? Is it because we are just ordinary students with no party support?
3. Why has there been no contact from the govt. to the four families?
4. Is the system made only by the powerful, for the powerful?
5. Is the idea of justice inaccessible to the common people of the state?
6. Why has there been no arrest in any of the above cases despite such uproar?
7. Can we say that Arunachal is a land of murderers and criminals and that the culture of impunity exists in this land of rising sun?
Not the least, the team Arunachal Resists would like to remind the Chief Minister and the Home Minister of their responsibilities; in winning election and guarding the chair is not doing correct politics but it is in being a good leader who understands, accommodates and safeguards the interest of every community of a society. Most importantly, he/she who preaches and practices the idea of upholding human rights. We are disappointed in the Chief Minister, the Home Minister, and the police for turning indifferent to the family’s struggles.
Recently the Pema Khandu-led Govt. was recognized with the best Law and Order by India Today TV, it was just two days after our protest march. We are confused, as so many of us still await justice. It looks like the entire state and the government is just busy for the upcoming election. And it seems that dead are meant to be forgotten, no value, no worth. We shall all perish one day, we hope we can all be more humane and better humans. And we hope that the CM, the HM and the police will respond to our grievances soon!
Sincerely,
Families of
Late Ojing Taying,
Late Toko Yame,
Late Arun Modi,
Late Ngurang Pinch
and the Team Arunachal Resists