By Express News Service
GUWAHATI: On the eve of the first anniversary of Oting killings in Nagaland’s Mon district, the Konyak Union (KU) on Saturday lamented that justice was not delivered to the families of the victims even after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed the chargesheet naming 30 Army personnel, including a Major.
The personnel, allegedly Para commandos, had gunned down six coal miners near the Oting village on December 4 last year after “mistaking” them for militants. Seven other civilians and a Para commando were killed within hours at the same place when the villagers retaliated.
Another villager was killed the next day in Mon town when Assam Rifles personnel opened fire after their camp had come under an attack from a mob.
The KU expressed resentment that the central government has not yet granted sanction for the prosecution of the guilty personnel.
“The state government constituted the SIT. It conducted a probe and filed the chargesheet but the central government has not granted sanction to prosecute the culprits or book them,” KU vice president HA Hongnao Konyak told this newspaper.
“Since they were not punished, the families have not got justice,” he said, adding, “The Army also conducted an internal probe. We don’t know what happened to it.”
As justice has been denied to the families, every household across the six districts of eastern Nagaland – Mon, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak, Shamator and Tuensang – will hold a black flag protest on Sunday and Monday.
“We have received an instruction from the ENPO (Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation, the apex tribal body of the region) for the black flag protest,” the KU vice president said.
Army vehicles burnt down by villagers after the Oting killings.(File | Photo)
A prayer meeting will also be held at the KU office in Mon on Sunday for those killed. Church and civil society leaders will attend it.
The KU will build a “Martyrs’ Park” with donations from the public in Mon town in memory of the victims. The state government has already provided with land for the purpose.
The incident on that day occurred when the victims were returning home from a coal mine in a small truck. The Army personnel had laid a trap following reports about the movement of militants in the area.
During the course of investigation, the SIT visited Jorhat in Assam and grilled the personnel who had taken part in the operation. It had also visited the site of incident multiple times.
GUWAHATI: On the eve of the first anniversary of Oting killings in Nagaland’s Mon district, the Konyak Union (KU) on Saturday lamented that justice was not delivered to the families of the victims even after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed the chargesheet naming 30 Army personnel, including a Major.
The personnel, allegedly Para commandos, had gunned down six coal miners near the Oting village on December 4 last year after “mistaking” them for militants. Seven other civilians and a Para commando were killed within hours at the same place when the villagers retaliated.
Another villager was killed the next day in Mon town when Assam Rifles personnel opened fire after their camp had come under an attack from a mob.
The KU expressed resentment that the central government has not yet granted sanction for the prosecution of the guilty personnel.
“The state government constituted the SIT. It conducted a probe and filed the chargesheet but the central government has not granted sanction to prosecute the culprits or book them,” KU vice president HA Hongnao Konyak told this newspaper.
“Since they were not punished, the families have not got justice,” he said, adding, “The Army also conducted an internal probe. We don’t know what happened to it.”
As justice has been denied to the families, every household across the six districts of eastern Nagaland – Mon, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak, Shamator and Tuensang – will hold a black flag protest on Sunday and Monday.
“We have received an instruction from the ENPO (Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation, the apex tribal body of the region) for the black flag protest,” the KU vice president said.
Army vehicles burnt down by villagers after the Oting killings.(File | Photo)
A prayer meeting will also be held at the KU office in Mon on Sunday for those killed. Church and civil society leaders will attend it.
The KU will build a “Martyrs’ Park” with donations from the public in Mon town in memory of the victims. The state government has already provided with land for the purpose.
The incident on that day occurred when the victims were returning home from a coal mine in a small truck. The Army personnel had laid a trap following reports about the movement of militants in the area.
During the course of investigation, the SIT visited Jorhat in Assam and grilled the personnel who had taken part in the operation. It had also visited the site of incident multiple times.
