Urges Nagaland Government to immediately file a review petition
Kohima, September 18 (MExN): The Global Naga Forum (GNF) today voiced its objection to the Supreme Court of India’s ruling on September 17 terminating the criminal proceedings against 30 Army personnel involved in the ‘Oting massacre’ of 2021 and urged the Nagaland State Government to immediately file a review petition before the apex court.
The Supreme Court’s decision to quash the FIRs (First Information Reports) sends a “disheartening message that justice will remain out of reach for the victims and their families,” asserted the GNF in a statement issued by its Convenor Chuba Ozukum and Co-Convenor Prof Rosemary Dzuvichu.
As per the Forum, the tragic Oting event resulted in the deaths of 14 innocent civilians and remains a painful reminder of the ongoing violence and injustices faced by the Naga people, perpetuated under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) of 1958.
“The Oting massacre is not an isolated incident but part of a long history of brutality, including the 1994 Mokokchung rape and pillage, the 1995 Kohima massacre, and the killing of students in Wuzu, among others,” it highlighted.
These events continue to haunt the Naga people, reinforcing a deep sense of dehumanisation and suppression, it added.
To this end, the GNF held that Naga people, who have endured decades of oppression, view the September 17 ruling as an “affront to their pursuit of justice and accountability.”
“The Oting massacre was a clear violation of human rights, and the attempt to dismiss the plea for prosecution undermines both the credibility of the judicial process and public trust in the rule of law,” it added.
The GNF also urged the Nagaland Government to immediately file a review petition in the Supreme Court and takes a firm stance in defending the rights of its people and ensures that justice is delivered.
The State Government must stand by the victims and their families, upholding its commitment to truth, justice, and the dignity of the Naga people, it added.
In the interest of peace, justice, and human dignity, the Forum also urged the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling.
It further called upon civil society organisations, tribal apex bodies, human rights defenders, Naga political groups, and all concerned citizens to unite in protest against what it termed as a “grave injustice.”
The misuse of AFSPA and the continued militarisation of the Naga homeland have long plagued the region, and it is crucial for all parties to raise their voices in solidarity, it added.
The GNF also called for a meaningful dialogue to achieve an Indo-Naga political settlement, rather than perpetuating cycles of violence and impunity stating that the suffering of the Naga people has gone on for too long.
Conveying its solidarity with the victims, the Forum also urged for collective action to ensure that the innocent lives lost in Oting are not forgotten, and that justice prevails.
