Disappointment echoes as Oting reacts to Supreme Court’s ruling

September 19, 2024 9 Views No Comment

Expresses uncertainty about next steps moving forward

Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 19

“Where is the justice?” the Pastor of Oting Baptist Church asked in December 2022, a year after the killings of 13 civilians in Oting village of Mon district on December 4, 2021, in an alleged botched operation by the 21 Para Special Forces. Another was killed the next day in the violence that ensued in the Mon district headquarters.

The same sentiment reverberated as the Naga people, particularly in Oting, reacted to the Supreme Court’s closure of criminal proceedings against 30 Army personnel accused of killing 13 civilians on September 17.

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 served as the protective shield.

Oting Pastor T Nokyem expressed disappointment over the ruling saying ‘it was not right.’

“If this was to be, the Court shouldn’t have taken up the case of the Nagaland Government in the first place,” he opined.

He reiterated what he had stated in December 2022 about the need for the security personnel to apologise for the atrocity committed.

“My opinion still stands; the accused should say sorry on the ground of humanity,” he added.

Nokyem further disputed the “mistaken identity” narrative put forwarded by some quarters.

“My father was in the 1st Naga Regiment during the 1971 Bangladesh war… My two brothers also serve in the army. So my point is, how can a trained commando or soldier fail to identify a civilian or a member of the public?” he questioned.

Accordingly, he asserted that the issue of mistaken identity does not arise, adding that such untrained personnel should not be deployed.

The pastor also questioned for whom the AFSPA was intended, wondering if it was meant for the public. “What is the meaning of ceasefire?” he added.

In a apparent disillusionment, Nokyem noted the people of Oting, in general, are now “helpless and do not know what steps to take.

“Those who are capable should take the lead.”

Another source in Oting noted that the village had not received an “official letter” regarding the issue.

“The village council has a system, and once the official letter is received from the DC or the unions, it will convene a meeting on the way forward,” he added.

Sources from the Konyak Union (KU), meanwhile, reported a general sense of disappointment and unhappiness regarding Tuesday’s verdict.

The union plans to issue an official statement soon after studying the detailed contents of the judgment.

On September 18, the Global Naga Forum (GNF) voiced its objection to the Supreme Court’s decision and stated that it sends a “disheartening message that justice will remain out of reach for the victims and their families.” It also urged the Nagaland State Government to immediately file a review petition.

The apex ruling, however, came with a caveat. In the event that prosecution sanction is allowed in the future, the case may be revived, it said.

The Court made this observation in light of the pending Nagaland Government’s writ petition filed in April 2024, challenging the denial of prosecution sanction by the Union Defence Ministry.