KOHIMA, 7 Dec: A 29-member delegation, consisting of women leaders from the Naga Mothers’ Association, presidents and secretaries of 11 tribal women’s organizations, as well as the Global Naga Forum, called on the governor of Nagaland, seeking justice for the 14 Konyak civilians who were killed and several others who were injured by security forces on 4 and 5 December in Mon district.
The delegation submitted an eight-point charter of demands to Governor Jagdish Mukhi, who strongly condemned the killings and assured to take cognizance of the matter and convey the same to the government of India, it informed in a press release on Tuesday.
Among others, the delegation placed on record its strong objection to the statement of ‘mistaken identity’ and ‘self-defence’ by union Home Minister Amit Shah on the floor of the Parliament.
“The police FIR on the massacre and witness accounts have proved otherwise and we demand an official apology on the same,” it demanded.
Drawing attention to the various army atrocities and violations of human rights faced by the Naga people over the “decades of militarized existence,” the charter of demands, a copy of which was issued to the media, demanded that “all Indian Army cantonments and Assam Rifles camps be shifted immediately from all civilian areas and village habitations in all Naga areas.”
“The imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act since 1958 continues to threaten our existence and survival as Nagas and is used with impunity and immunity from any punitive action,” it said, adding that a special assembly session be convened at the earliest and the repeal of the AFSPA be strongly recommended by the Nagaland legislative assembly to the government of India.
“Our history is replete with militarization of our Naga homeland, army atrocities and violations of human rights… The latest shocking killings of 14 Konyak sons and brothers at Oting and Mon and injuring several other civilians has proven once again that to the government of India and the Indian Army, Naga civilians are all suspects,” the charter of demands stated.
The delegation also demanded that state investigation by SIT and the action taken on the culprits should be strictly time-bound and the report made public. It asked the governor to ensure that the guilty officers, his commandos and jawans “be immediately suspended, pending investigation and dismissed from active service, stripped of all benefits and come under the purview of criminal procedures of the court and the law.”
The names of the identified culprits should be released in the public domain, it added.
It also called for an end to all festivities at the state Hornbill Festival, stating that “it is taboo and against the very essence of our culture to be feasting and celebrating, when we as mothers and women are in deep mourning.”
“Our sons are worth much more than the two minutes’ silence being observed; they have been silenced forever,” it added.
Further, the women leaders underscored that the government of India must help the families of the deceased with adequate compensation and “not insult us with announcements of petty cash compensation.”
“These are grievous war crimes committed on our people and we demand justice,” it maintained.
The charter went on to state that the “inhuman massacre” in the midst of ceasefires and serious peace negotiations with various Naga political groups is highly condemnable.
“Today we are here to inform the government of India, through your esteemed office, that for us Naga women, enough is enough,” it asserted while calling on the government of India to “stand by its commitment to respect Naga rights and ensure signing an early peace accord for peace in our land.”
The delegation comprised leaders of the Naga Mothers’ Association, presidents and secretaries of the Angami Women Organization, Watsu Mungdang, the Sumi Totimi Hoho, the Lotha Eloe Hoho, the Zeliang Women Organization, the Pochury Mothers Association, the Chakhesang Mothers Association, the Chakhesang Women Society, the Rengma Mothers Association, the Tenyimi Women Organization, the Kuki Mothers Association and the Global Naga Forum.
Besides the governor, copies of the charter of demands were sent to the president of India, the prime minister of India, the union defence minister, the union home minister, the chief minister of Nagaland and the home minister of Nagaland. (Courtesy: Morung Express News)
