Morung Express News
Jalukie | July 11
The Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) has expressed outright indignation and condemnation for the reported move of Assam Police to book under the National Security Act (NSA) seven Zeme village “volunteers” in North Cachar Hills. NPMHR secretary general Dr. Neivotso Venuh said the move of the Assam government and police was tantamount to direct violation of the right to life and property of the Zeme Nagas in the district.
The NPMHR secretary general was responding to reports received from the Zeliangrong Baudi (Nagaland) that seven village “volunteers” of Mpoi village, a Zeme village, were arrested by Assam police led by the Deputy SP of Halflong on July 8 last. Their licensed 12-bore guns were also reportedly confiscated.
“The villagers have every right to guard and protect their lives and property. Moreover, the villagers were using only licensed 12-bore guns to protect themselves from militants,” said Venuh, who along with other NPMHR members visited a couple of relief camps for displaced Zeme from NC Hills, here at Jalukie town on Saturday.
The NPMHR said the need for villagers to defend themselves was necessitated as the heavy presence of security personnel in NC Hills had neither deterred armed groups from attacking civilians nor instilled security among both Zeme and Dimasa communities.
The human rights’ members were referring to reports about the deployment of more than 65,000 security personnel to the district (which has around 2 Lakhs population) since the outbreak of the ethnic conflict between the Zeme and Dimasa. Questioning the rationale behind the move to book the seven Zeme including a GB, under the NSA, the NPMHR demanded immediate release of the villagers along with their “licensed” firearms.
Venuh also informed the Zeliangrong Baudi that the NPMHR along with Assam civil society would visit NC Hills in the last week of July and meet with both the Zeme and Dimasa to hammer out ways to end the ethnic conflict. The NPMHR secretary general was accompanied by NPMHR convener Atoho Kiho, co-convener Kenneth Mao, outgoing Dimapur Naga Students’ Union president Solomon Awomi and others. The visiting team also handed over relief materials to displaced Zeme and distributed sweets and biscuits to children in the relief camps. The Zeliangrong Baudi (N) members led by its vice president Raitu Elu guided the NPMHR team to the relief camps.
