Longrangty & Masangum
Saijang (Jalukie) | August 20
NAGALAND HOME Minister Thenucho today said the deployment of the 9th NAP (IR) to Chhattisgarh was for a peaceful purpose and for protection of innocent civilian lives. He was speaking during the ‘Welcome home the Daring 9th (IR) battalion” function at Saijang here.
He said the sending of 9 IRB was arrived at after an agreement between the Centre, and as such, they were compelled to send the force. He made comparisons by citing the example of neighbouring states that never release their armed men for such deployments, after citing shortage of jawans. He disclosed that New Delhi had approached the Nagaland government for establishment of an additional IR battalion. As of now, 12 battalion of the IR exist in Nagaland. The state cabinet would deliberate on the matter, he said.
Thenucho said he was saddened by the deaths and injuries of the jawans and that the sending of the force caused him a heavy heart. He assured that the government would leave no stone unturned in addressing the needs of families of killed and maimed jawans.
He made an appeal to the jawans to change their attitude after returning from a violent area where their approach to everyday living is different. He asked them to conduct their affairs in Nagaland with a human approach.
They should be firm in their duty against antisocial elements who cause law and order problems, he added.
He also urged the jawans to revive themselves, especially on the spiritual front. He appealed to the families of the jawans to be compassionate with them and help ease the trauma they may experience.
However, he did not make any mention on the proposed sending of the 10th IRB to Jammu and Kashmir.
NSF President Imchatoba aired the view that the Nagas were dead against the deployment of the troops in a foreign environment from the beginning.
He said the Revolutionary Democratic Front from Chhattisgarh who had visited Nagaland recently had in a meeting said the killing of Naga IRB personnel was done unintentionally as the Naxals there are fighting for a certain right and that they feel whoever comes in their way are against them.
He also appealed to the officers and the jawans to ‘maintain’ themselves and to carry a more humane approach in Nagaland.
Some jawans have lost their lives, these sacrifices will not go in vain, he said. The scenario in Chhattisgarh and Nagaland is different, he said and added that undergrounds are all Naga brothers but that there is no compromise with anti-socials.
Nagaland Director General of Police, J Changkija, welcoming back the boys cited media reports of Naxalites openly celebrating the departure of the Naga force. “This speaks volumes about the fear and awe generated by the 9 NAP (IR) Battalion in the minds of the Naxalites.”
He said the Chhattisgarh police authorities and the administration of that state did not want to send the 9 NAP (IR) back to Nagaland, but through the intervention of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Home Minister Thenucho “we have been able to bring back this battalion to Nagaland and they are all here today.”
He paid tributes to those jawans who made the “supreme sacrifice” in their line of duty in Chhattisgarh.
Reverend Shiwoto, who also spoke, said the way Nagas live have become complex in the political and social aspects. He commended the 9 IRB for displaying transparency in the call of duty and he said the sending of 9 IRB to Chhattisgarh because the government has an obligation.
NSF has every right to comment on the issue because they have a right to do so on a political and human rights angles, he said but also firmly asked the NSF to educate the people not to form misconceptions on the sending of the force. He said people should not be confused between religion and the call of duty.
He told the jawans that once they fail in their morality they would fall in other fronts too. Naxalites are the biggest challenge to the Centre because they have mushroomed in several states.
Shiwoto appreciated the DAN government for approving a non-confronting policy to maintain peace in Nagaland.
Dennis Iheilung, President of the Zeliangrong Baudi (Hoho), saluted the jawans for their valour and for coming home in victory. He asked the jawans to be ‘humble’ in their home state. He added that as jawans have suffered a lot. “We also suffer their pain.”
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