Nagaland killings inquiry allowed only if army comes without ‘arms and uniforms’: Konyak bodies

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• Dec 29, 2021 | moderator

Kohima: The Konyak civil society organizations (CSOs) have allowed the army to carry out their investigation into the recent killings in Nagaland’s Mon district but with a condition that the investigation should carry out their investigation sans ‘arms and uniforms’.

Chiefs of various Konyak CSOs – Konyak Union (KU), Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khung (KNSK) and Konyak Students’ Union (KSU) has decided to grant permission to the Indian Army to conduct an investigation into the merciless killings in Oting village, without arms and uniforms.

Also read: Nagaland Assembly ‘unanimously’ resolves to demand the repeal of AFSPA from Northeast

The civil society organizations have vowed not to rest and shall continue their protest against the army for carrying out the merciless killings of the innocent civilians until the perpetrators are not booked “under applicable civil court and action taken report is brought before the public domain within the penultimate timeframe.”

The incident took place on December 4 where in 14 civilians were killed by the 21 Para Special Forces of the Indian Army, suspecting them to be insurgents moving around with arms.

Condemning the incident, civil societies, tribal groups, including the state government demanded the repeal of AFSPA. The Nagaland Assembly, during one of its special session, demanded an apology from the concerned authority along with an assurance that justice will be delivered by applying the laws of the land upon those who perpetrated the inhuman massacre and upon those who are responsible for the incident.

Also read: Nagaland Killings: Distressing scenes from Nagaland as grief-stricken families bury their loved ones

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister of Nagaland in its earlier meeting with Union Home Minster Amit Shah has put forth the demand of repeal of AFSPA, as the justified and immediate step needed considering the prevalent political scenario in the state.

In the meeting chaired by Amit Shah, it was decided that a committee will be set up that would look into the withdrawal of the AFSPA in Nagaland. The committee will be headed by the Union Home Ministry’s additional secretary for the Northeast and will include the chief secretary and Director General Police of Nagaland, among others.