Konyak Union spokespersons T Yanlem and Yingphe Konyak addressing the press conference at the KU Office, Mon town on December 11. (Morung Photo)
Says Home Minister must apologise
Morung Express News
Mon | December 11
The community is in mourning now, but that does not mean that we will forget Oting and move on without justice, the Konyak Nagas asserted on Saturday.
At a press conference convened by the Konyak Union at Mon town on the fifth day of the district wide mourning period, KU spokespersons T Yanlem and Yingphe Konyak sent out a clear message— justice must be served at all cost.
Taking exception to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statements in the Parliament earlier in the week, the KU spokespersons categorically stated that it was shameful on the part of the Government of India to make such a huge statement without doing its homework. It maintained that a simple fact checking would have revealed that the incident was never a case of ‘mistaken identity’ nor an ‘ambush.’
It was a clear case of murder in broad daylight, it asserted, while adding that the Union had demanded an apology from the Centre soon after Shah's statement and is yet to hear from the government.
“Home Minister must stand, clarify and apologise to the Konyak people and the people of Nagaland,” it reiterated, while denouncing the government's “indifferent attitude.”
Along with this, it also denounced reports from certain TV news channels and print media where the killings were referred to as 'encounters' between 'terrorists' of NSCN (K) and security forces. “These were innocent villagers who were following their weekend routine of returning to their village on Saturday to be with their families for a day,” it said, while underscoring that “the K in NSCN (K) stands for Khaplang and not Konyak.”
The spokespersons also reiterated the December 6 charter of demands which included revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, withdrawal of the 27 Assam Rifles from Mon district and completion of investigation within 30 days.
The KU went on to state that the country's indifference towards the northeastern states was nothing new and the same attitude has been continuing over the past 60 years. It said that the “AFSPA has been nothing but a law of torture, rape and killing for the northeastern states.”
You cannot make the northeast your practice ground, it said, addressing the Government of India.
Referring to the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation's 2007 declaration that the eastern Naga region would be a 'Peace Zone,' the KU, which is as a unit of ENPO, stated that it has worked to maintain peace in the region.
It said that the Government of India needed a more 'inclusive approach' instead of always depending on its military. “The entire nation and the Government is missing the reality if it thinks that using the army will resolve a political issue.”
Further stating that the ceasefires and various agreements were signed to bring Nagas into the 'mainstream,' the KU questioned if the killing of 14 innocent civilians was the right way to do it.
Addressing the silence of the district police and administration with regard to the Oting killings, the spokespersons stated that it was “about time for the district administration and police to clarify” on the multiple versions of the incident and the sequence of events.
Meanwhile, the spokespersons stated that the seven-day mourning period would come to an end on December 13, after which the Konyak community would go ahead with its plans for the proposed 'Genocide Memorial Park' at the Assam Rifles Camp in Mon town.
The Konyak people have not received any response from the Government of India on our December 6 charter of demands but that does not mean our letter will go in vain, it said, asserting that it would continue to pursue the matter.
“If the government will not pay attention to our demand and give us justice, the Konyak Union will go to the government. Delhi is not very far from us,” it asserted.
