Don't Wan't Compensation, Want Armymen Punished: Nagaland Firing Victims' Families

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• Dec 13, 2021 | moderator

Kohima: A week has passed since the controversial firing of unarmed, innocent civilians in Mon district of Nagaland. The family members of the 14 victims who were killed in a botched operation by the special forces of the Army, have refused any government compensation until the Army personnel involved in last week’s firing are “brought to justice” and the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is removed.

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This decision was taken on Sunday by the family members and residents of the Oting village in Mon district. Out of the 14 people who died, 12 were residents of this village.

A statement issued by the village council of Oting has clarified that an envelope containing ₹1,83,000 was brought to them by a Minister and the Deputy Commissioner of the district. "The Village Council Oting assumed it as a token of love and gift from the Honourable Minister Shri Paiwang Konyak," the statement said. 

However, they say that they later learned the money was an advance payment of an installment of the compensation to be paid by the state government.  The village council Oting and the victims' families then decided to not receive the compensation until "the culprit of 21st Para Commandos of the Indian Arm Force is brought to justice before the Civil code of law" and AFSPA is repealed from the entire North-Eastern region of India, the statement, signed by Longwang Konyak, Chairman of the Oting village council, added.

The Nagaland government has approved payment of ₹ 5 lakh each as compensation to the families of the 14 people killed in the firing by special forces. Those injured have been sanctioned ₹ 50,000 each. 

Residents of Oting village haven’t forgotten the evening of December 4 when 12 youths of their village were killed by the armed forces in a case of ‘mistaken identity’. The residents of Oting village have barred the armed forces from entering their area, warning them of dire consequences otherwise.

Residents of the village, under the banner of Oting Citizens, wrote in a communique: “…the people of Oting also bars all groups and parties of various factions of the Indian arm forces indefinitely from entering Oting jurisdiction (which includes Lower Tiru). Violating this directive the people of Oting shall not be responsible in any manner to whatsoever happen in the near future.”

The Oting citizens also “dared” the armed forces to “come out clean so as to deliver timely justice.”