Nagaland firing victims' families demand justice, refuse compensation
KOHIMA: The villagers of Oting in Nagaland's Mon district and families of the 14 people killed in the shootings by security forces refused any government compensation until the personnel involved are "brought to justice".
In a statement, the Oting Village Council said that on December 5 when the locals were busy with funeral arrangements and other works in the aftermath of the killings, Rs 18.30 lakh was given by state minister P Paiwang Konyak and the district's deputy commissioner.
At first, they assumed it to be a "token of love and gift" from the minister but later learnt it was an installment of the ex gratia from the state government for the families of those killed and injured, it said.
"The Oting Village Council and victim families will not receive it until and unless the culprit of 21st Para Commandos of the Indian Armed Force are brought to justice before the Civil code of law and repeal of Armed Force Special Power Act (AFSPA) from the entire North Eastern region," the statement said.
The statement, issued on Sunday, was signed by Village Council chairman Longwang Konyak, Angh ('king') Tahwang, Deputy Angh Chingwang and Gaon Burahs (village chieftains) of Mongnei and Nyanei.
At least 14 civilians and a soldier were killed in a botched anti-insurgency operation and retaliatory violence over December 4-5 in the district, as per police.
Villagers claim attempt was made to pass dead off as militants
Assam’s Jorhat administration on Wednesday prevented Congress general secretaries Jitendra Singh and Ajoy Kumar along with MP Gaurav Gogoi from visiting Nagaland citing the “sensitive situation on Assam-Nagaland border areas and apprehension of breach of peace and tranquility in the border areas of Jorhat”.
Later, the troika staged a sit-in protest at the Jorhat airport. They had planned to visit Mon in Nagaland to meet the families of 14 civilians killed by the security forces.
In an order, the Jorhat district magistrate said the movement of civilians and others from Assam to Mon had been restricted by Nagaland in view of the prevailing law and order situation in Mon and other bordering districts arising out of the Mon incident.
“We have been sitting on a dharna at Jorhat airport for last three hours. Our only aim is to visit our brothers and sisters in Nagaland and tell them Congress party stands with them at this hour of grief,” Gaurav Gogoi said in a tweet.
Breaking their silence after four days of a shoot-out in which 13 of their village youth died in firing by Para commandos, the Oting Citizens Office, representing Oting village in Nagaland's remote Mon district on Wednesday rubbished official claims and asserted security forces had tried to hide the dead bodies and dress them in fatigues in a bid to pass them off as militants after a botched up ambush.
The citizen's body also claimed the killings were in "cold blood" with the driver being among the first to be shot dead with a bullet which pierced the windshield.
Attempts to contact the Army spokesperson in Kohima to cross-check the allegations have as yet remained unanswered.
An official statement made by the Government on Monday had said that based on inputs received by the Indian Army about movement of the insurgents near Tiru village in Mon district, a team of para-commandos laid an ambush on Saturday, during which, "a vehicle approached the location and it was signaled to stop. However, the vehicle tried to flee, following which the vehicle, suspected of carrying insurgents, was fired upon resulting in killing of 6 out of 8 persons travelling in the vehicle. However, it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity."
The Oting villagers through a statement related that "on the fateful evening of 4th December 2021, around 3:30 PM, one pick-up truck loaded with 8 Coal miners were returning from (a) mining site as next day was Sunday, which we the Christians consider a day of rest. Around 4:30 pm, the security forces ambushed that very pick-up truck without ascertaining anything about the passengers."
The security forces then "blocked the road for all traffic and diverted all vehicles to the less frequented old Pioneer road. Meanwhile, villagers were anxiously waiting for the pick-up truck to reach the village, for they learnt that there was a shootout" on that stretch, according to the Oting Citizens' body.
The Oting Citizens Office claimed that around 8:00 PM, the villagers went searching and found the empty pick-up truck, "with the bullet mark piercing through the windshield exactly at the driver's position, blood stains covered with dust and mud, and the boys missing from the vehicle.
"The pierced windshield in the front by bullets clearly indicates that they first shot the driver of the pick-up truck to (bring it to a ) halt and ambushed the remaining point blank," the statement alleged.
The villagers claimed they chased three fleeing vehicles used by the security forces on motorcycles and intercepted them.
Though securitymen denied any knowledge of the missing boys, a search found six of the missing miners under a tarpaulin.
These boys were half dressed and lying dead.
The Oting Citizens accused the security forces of attempting "to brand the boys as militants by planting weapons and dressing them in camouflage uniforms and boots."
Soon after heated argument between security forces and villagers broke out and turned into physical scuffles.
Armymen according to the villagers "started firing indiscriminately, abruptly killing and injuring few others on the spot."
"We may be small and tiny in area and population, yet we are ready to compromise with situation to lose our heads and take the enemy's heads. For we are warriors by blood and origin, and no force can intimidate us," the statement asserted.
(With Inputs From ENS)