The graves of 13 out of the 14 youths who were killed by security forces at Oting on December 4 and 5, 2021.
Kanili Kiho
Dimapur | December 3
“Where is the justice?” The Pastor of Oting Baptist Church asked, a year after the killings of 13 innocent civilians in Oting village of Mon district on December 4 in a botched ambush by the 21 Para Special Forces. One more was killed the next day in the violence that ensued in the Mon district headquarters.
Pastor Nokyem said that while most of the villagers do not know the essence of how the case is developing in the court of law, but they still believe that, “(Justice) lies in the hands of the Supreme Court.”
Ahead of observing the death anniversary of the victims on December 4, the Pastor said, “We will be holding the funeral service like we are only burying them this time, because the funeral rites were done hastily last year and the bereaved families were not happy about it.”
The ENPO has also declared December 4 and 5 as ‘Black Days’ in memory of the 14 fallen youths.
In an attempt to get the church’s perspective on forgiveness and the way forward, this newspaper spoke to the church body of the village. On this, the pastor remarked, “Till today, the people of Oting are weeping. It is now up to the Supreme Court to decide who is at fault: the public or the Indian Army. And only then can forgiveness make space in the hearts of the grieving.”
However, he regretted that there is no headway or answer for that matter, till now. “Preaching forgiveness and of moving on at present would be akin to hypocrisy. It is like a thorn in our flesh, and unless we take off that thorn, we cannot be fully happy. We need justice in order to carry on. Justice is what we are anxiously waiting for.”
He further informed that the church will come to a decision on December 4, in a proposed meeting, and then they will notify on their resolution for the way forward.
He continued that the times are different now, not the time to be seeking revenge. “Instead, I say, ‘Let the stories be written for posterity, of how the Naga civilians were killed by the Indian Army. Put it in the textbooks and let it go down in history, like poets do.”
The Assam Rifles, Mon Battalion had visited the village on different occasions and offered to help. During one such visit, the pastor had questioned them, “Will you not first say sorry for the sin one has committed? What do you want?”
The pastor put across that it was disheartening that instead of saying sorry, government jobs, money and development were being offered to the people. “The matter is not about bringing development or making roads, we need to know that the ones who committed the crime are sorry for their actions. Also, if they would like to help the people, they ought to do it without asking.”
“We are not asking them to bow down to us, but it is a matter of confessing and saying sorry for the atrocity committed, on humanitarian ground. Only then can a society co-exist in peace,” the Pastor continued.
“We ask God and ourselves every single day why this had to happen to us. That is where we are at till today, and we do not know for how long this will go on,” said Deacon Nahpho.
The Deacon resonated with the view of the church head on the help offered by the Assam Rifles while stating that they are not happy about it.
“Though what is gone is gone, and we have more days to look forward to, the Oting killings are still fresh in the hearts of the grieving.”
