DIMAPUR, JULY 29 (MExN): The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) on Saturday asked the governments at Manipur and at the Centre to immediately cease the delay tactics and act upon with precision to bring the situation under control.
In a hard hitting statement, NBCC general secretary Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho said the delay tactics of the authority is enabling lies to be concocted and made to travel half the world when the truth at home is trying to put things in order. It said hate speeches and angers are blown out of proportion because there is no control system put to work by the authority and mad minds are let loose.
“The vicious cycle of hatred must stop and the authority must act with precision. We therefore, appeal to the government of Manipur and the Central government to act without wasting time. The delay is causing more harm,” it stated.
The NBCC also alleged that the Manipur government and the Central government have become enemies of justice and their lack of concrete action was a poor reflection of the nation which takes pride in proclaiming to the world that it is the biggest democratic nation yet. It said all attentions placed on the region and the promises made time and again are becoming just hallow words.
Questioning why it is taking so long to gather the evidence of what happened and when the truth has been revealed, the NBCC lamented that the delay has caused more pain because people were made to visit the past again and again.
It cast aspersion that what happened in Manipur almost three months ago is a well planned execution of certain political and religious group in the nation against a certain religion and ethnic group in the region. The authority at this time cannot just be silent on the pretext that they are collecting evidences. What more evidences do the authorities need when human-naked eyes have seen all, it questioned.
The NBCC pointed out, “evidence of things which happened in the most terrible and horrific manner in post modern era are not just blowing in the wind, they are flying all over and it is yet to settle down.”
“If you have seen the videos circulating around those are the evidence, the burning of churches, homes, villages, and the smokes going up are the evidence. The bodies buried are the evidence. The beastly rape, inhuman treatment, and the parading of our daughters naked are the evidence. But if the authority is still collecting evidence, go to the makeshift camps, talk to children who lost their parents, and listen to their stories,” it stated.
Accusing the authority of hiding under the pretext that they are collecting evidence; the NBCC added, “This lame excuse has exposed the mentality that India will always give a step-sisterly treatment to the region where they have nothing to gain.”
Highlighting these, the NBCC, on behalf of the Christian community in the region, made its stand clear on three points.
First, justice must be served and equal protection must be guaranteed to all people regardless of their religious affiliation. Second, India cannot go on talking about development to seize and dispose the tribal properties at their selfish whim. Third, a nation that tolerates rapes and senseless killings of its citizens must rise to the occasion and booked those who are responsible and justice served according to the law of the land.
