Senapati, July 10 (MExN): On July 9, the duo chiefs of Oinam Hill village solemnly planted a tree each in honour of Late Isak Chishi Swu, Chairman, NSCN (IM) and Yaruiwo of its GPRN at Oinam Hills. The Village Council and Oinam Hill Youth and Students’ Organisation leaders also planted trees in honour of "martyrs" executed during Operation Blue Bird, 1987. The 29th Onae Reh Dah (Great Battle of Oinam) was commemorated in three different settings at Oinam Hill village, Taphou Onaeme, and Poumai Naga Tsii Doumai Me (PNTM) Office, Khabung Karong. At Oinam Hill village, the background of the commemoration was delivered, followed by tree plantation at Cho ground, which was once used as a concentration camp during Operation Blue Bird, as a tribute to the martyrs. Various speakers, during the commemoration at Taphou Onaeme, Senapati recalled the past and introspected on the future. A group of young and dynamic youth gathered at PNTM office Khabung Karong in an informal manner; recounted the past stories of Onae Reh Dah followed by a group discussion on various issues pertaining to ‘human rights violation,’ ‘justice’ ‘Naga’s national movement,’ among others. The gathering also questioned as to why the Gauhati High Court has kept the case in cold storage without disposing it off even after so many years? On July 9, 1987, suspected NSCN (National Socialist Council of Nagalim) raided Assam Rifles outpost at Oinam Hill Village at around 12:00 pm and left with a large quantity of arms and ammunition. Nine soldiers were killed in the attack and three were seriously injured. It is reported that the underground carried away 18 LMG, 128 SLR, 4 two inches Mortar, 20 Carbine Sten, 400 Granades, 1,28,000 rounds of ammunition and two wireless sets. According to the version of the NSCN, as later revealed publicly, the attack of the camp was carried out under the code name ‘Operation Jericho.’ It was a “successful operation” tacitly and tactfully conducted after many days of fasting and prayer as per the NSCN. On the other hand, the attack was one of the biggest upon the Indian Forces after independence whereby huge amount of arms and ammunitions were captured and seized by the attackers. It was a jubilant moment for the attacker on one hand and the greatest setback for the 21st Assam Rifles on the other, with civilians (innocent/clueless villagers) caught for wrong reasons, resulting in a catastrophe. ‘Operation Blue Bird’ was a code name of the counter-insurgency operation launched on July 11, 1987 under the command of General PL Kukrety, General Officer in Command (GOC) of M Sector to recover the seized arms and ammunition taken away by Naga underground group. The operation lasted till the end of October 1987 officially. The NPMHR in their petition filed in October 1987 to the Guahati High Court alleged that the security forces committed the following cognizable offences: murder, manslaughter, infliction of grievous injuries, rape and sexual harassment; arson, looting and theft; desecration of Church; wanton destruction of public and private properties; including school buildings; illegal evictions; illegal raids, seizures; illegal detentions and arrests and forced labour. Around forty villages were affected, 125 houses are alleged burnt, 112 houses were dismantled, 6 schools and 10 churches were dismantled, properties worth Rs. 50,75,000/- were looted from seven villages and villagers belonging to five villages were forced to work, 27 persons are alleged to have been killed in the encounter on different dates in Senapati district of Manipur, 3 women were allegedly raped and five women were alleged sexually molested and 300 persons were alleged tortured by Assam Rifles as enumerated by the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights. It may be mentioned here that after 29 years of the incident, the case has not been disposed and no verdict given by the Gauhati High Court.
