Dimapur, December 11 (MExN): In the aftermath of the ransacking of the Ao Senden office in Mokokchung on November 26 by some protesters from Ungma village, the Ao Senden in a general meeting held today at Mokokchung decided to suspend the membership of the Ungma Village Council indefinitely from the hoho.
The decision to suspend the Ungma Village Council was taken by seventy eight villages from the six ranges in the district, informed an executive member of the Senden, speaking on condition of anonymity.
He said that in today’s meeting, the Ungma Village Council members, highlighted the circumstances leading to the ransacking of the hoho’s office.
The Ungma VC informed the gathering that the village council had directed its members not to deviate from the peaceful procession on the day; however, some youths took matters in their own hands and ransacked the Senden’s office. The village council took full responsibility for the incident and apologized for the matter, said the Ao Senden executive member. However, the Ao Senden decided to suspend the Ungma Village Council, a decision which the Ungma Village Council also agreed to respect and abide by, he said.
The official said that the decision to suspend the village council was taken in order to safeguard the traditional customs of the Aos and also to protect the sanctity of the Ao Senden as the apex organization of the Ao community. The Ungma Village Council can be readmitted if the village council appeals for revocation of the suspension order after the appeal is discussed and consulted at the Senden Executive level meeting, he said. Besides the suspension of the Ungma Village Council, today meeting deliberated at length the assassination attempt on Goa Governor, Dr SC Jamir.
The Ao Senden official disclosed that the meeting resolved that the Aos will pursue the matter till the end, but only after the culprits have been identified.
No groups or individual have claimed responsibility for the attack and the SIT instituted by the state government to investigate into the matter is yet to come out with their findings.
“(The) Ao Senden is determined to go against those who have committed the crime…it (the investigation into the matter) is a continuous process and so we are not taking any action now,” said the Ao Senden executive member, “The Aos will continue to pursue the matter and the Aos will never excuse those…pardon those who has committed the crime against SC Jamir.”
About the allegation that the Ao Senden is not taking a concrete stand on the NSCN (IM) Azha against Dr SC Jamir and the assassination attempt on the Goa Governor, the executive member said that the Ao Senden is doing its best for the revocation of the Azha and also closely following the progress of the investigation of the abortive assassination attempt.
Ao Senden President, Temjenkaba, when contacted, said that the Ao Senden today decided to take up the matter regarding the revocation of the Azha with the NSCN (IM) once again. He said that the issue of the NSCN (IM) Azha against SC Jamir was sidelined after the assassination attempt on the Goa Governor.
However, regarding the assassination attempt, Temjenkaba said that the state government has constituted a investigation team and that once the truths in unearthed, the state government will take action against the culprits. He asserted that the Ao Senden is not the authority to initiate action against the culprits.
