Dimapur, April 23 (MExN): A mournful Naga civil society today gathered in pained contemplation, shame, shock and regret over the April 22 mayhem. The meeting held this afternoon at NAP complex Chumukedima, saw representatives of frontline Naga civil society including the Naga Hoho, express vehement condemnation, appeal for restoration of a wounded Naga pride and regret. In the midst of the shock and grief, one message cried out: “We are one people, let brotherhood and good Christian sense prevail”.
A Western Sumi Hoho representative during the meeting said that they came to express their sadness and pain. Representatives from the Western Sumi GBs Association, Sumi Hoho and others were also in attendance. Home Minister Thenucho (along with senior state officials) also addressed the meeting.
“Mon duk laga kotha kobole ahise. Bishi mon duk ase,” (We came here to share you words of sadness; our hearts are pained” said the representative. It was added that efforts are on to normalize the situation.
A Naga Hoho representative said, “We should not allow this kind of situation to happen again” and asked the district administration and the Home Minister to take care of the affected people.
A Western Sumi GB Hoho representative also said that they are cooperating with the district administration and appealed the people not to think in terms of tribe or on tribal lines. He said that they would help the affected community and also expressed regret and pain over the whole incident. Sumi representatives also said that the incident was a shock and out of the blue, so unimaginable that such happened.
Speaking at the meeting Chakhroma Public Organization president T Shuya cautioned that such upheavals as the ‘Fiery Sunday’ would not fade without serious repercussions. “Each and every Naga should refine ourselves and we Nagas being Christians, we should be rational for tomorrow will always have repercussions” he reminded reflecting the minds of the gathered leaders. He also called against communalizing the issue, for, today ‘it is a particular community’ tomorrow ‘it would be another’ that will fall prey to tribal madness.
The Nagaland Peace Centre also expressed its sadness and pain about the mob incident. NPC Executive Director, Lhusi Haralu and Chairman, N Theyo, while expressing sadness and pain over the incident, termed the whole incident as ‘unfortunate’ and added that ‘those who have lost their homes which they toiled for lifetime to build, lost it in no time’.
The executive in a press note expressed its gratefulness to the NGOs, individuals and the church leaders who risked their lives to rescue the children and women to safety. The Nagaland Peace Centre condemned such acts of violence as that took place on the fateful April 22 Sunday and prayed to Almighty God for peace so that recurrence of such tragedy could be avoided in future. The NPC also prayed to God for peaceful relationship to prevail among the citizens.
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