The Konyak Union, the organisation representing the tribe that lives in Nagaland’s Mon district, on Monday asked members of the community to ensure “total restriction on Indian military force convoy and patrolling” within their areas.
The new regulations were announced in protest against the killing of 14 civilians in the state between December 4 and December 5.
The tribal association asked its members to “cut off all forms of public relation” with the armed forces.
“No Konyak villages councils/students or any society must accept any forms of developmental packages/assistances from the Indian military forces,” the statement read.
The tribal union also asked its members to “denounce any forms of assured packages/assistances from Indian military forces”.
The association said that the youth of the tribal group will not participate in any Army recruitment rally. It also directed those who own land to “immediately denounce the past land agreement allotted for setting up military base camps within its respective jurisdiction”.
These areas include Naginimora, Tizit, Lampong Sheanghah, Wakching Town, Mon Town, Longshen Town, Sheanghah Wamsa, Longwa, Chenmoho, Chenloishu, Wangti, Aboi, Angjangyang, Tobu and Monyakshu.
The Konyak Union urged its members to also abstain from any recreational activities within Mon district. However, it exempted pre-scheduled events, such as weddings, from this directive.
The main demand of the tribal body is that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act should be repealed from all the states in the North East.
The tribal association has announced that the first phase of their mass protests will be held on December 16, where a public demonstration would be held all over Mon district. During the protest, black flags would be put up on every vehicle, and protestors will wear black badges.
During protests on Saturday, residents of Nagaland’s Mon district demanded an apology from Union Home Minister Amit Shah for making what they described as “false” and “fabricated” statements about the killings in Parliament.
“We are asking for justice...we do not need sympathy,” Honang Konyak, the Konyak Union’s vice president had said. “Twisting of truth is unfortunate... Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement in Parliament [is] confusing the world with wrong information. He should immediately withdraw...we demand his apology.”
The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation, a body representing a number of tribes in the state, said that the people of east Nagaland have “resolved to extend non-co-operation to the Indian Security Forces” unless three demands are accepted.
The organisation has demanded that a case should be filed against the security personnel allegedly involved in the killing of the civilians, and that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should withdraw his statement in Parliament that security forces fired in self-defence.
The ENPO has also demanded that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act be withdrawn from the entire northeastern region.
The organisation said that people in eastern Nagaland will abstain from any national celebrations, the army’s civic programmes and will not attend any government programmes for which they are invited.
The ENPO added that it will not allow any recruitment drives in eastern Nagaland till the demands are met.
The organisation also said that it has declared December 4 and 5 as a “black day” for the region.
On December 6, Shah told Parliament that the Centre regrets the killing of the 14 civilians in Mon district. The Union minister read out a statement in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as Opposition MPs shouted slogans and demanded that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act be repealed.
The home minister said all agencies have been asked to ensure that such civilian casualties do not occur while acting against insurgents in the future.
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Nagaland killings: Tribal union demands punishment for Army officials, repeal of AFSPA
Families to decide on whether to accept compensation
Meanwhile, leaders of the council of the Oting Village, to which most of those who were killed belong, said that only the families of the victims would decide on whether to accept the compensation from government.
“Whether to accept ex-gratia or not – that decision does not depend on the village council,” Chingwang, Deputy King, Oting Village Council, told The Indian Express.
The council said that on December 5, during the funeral ceremony of those who were killed, Nagaland minister P Paiwang Konyak had handed over Rs 18.30 lakh to the village council.
However, when the village leaders later learnt that it was monetary aid for the killings, the council said that it would not “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 the Armed Force Special Power Act is repealed from from the entire North Eastern region.
“Accepting ex gratia will not bring back the lives, so we have also asked that AFSPA be replaced and justice be brought,” Chingwang said.
The central government announced financial assistance of Rs 11 lakh and the Nagaland administration said that it would provide Rs 5 lakh to those who had been killed. The state had also declared that Rs 1 lakh would be paid to those who had been grievously injured and Rs 50,000 to those with less severe wounds.
Mon district Deputy Commissioner Thavaseelan claimed that there had been a misunderstanding with the money to be offered as compensation and that the authorities were hopeful that the families will accept it. He added that they were scheduled to meet the kin on Wednesday, reported The Indian Express.
Also read:
Nagaland tribal body demands Amit Shah’s apology for ‘misleading statement’ on civilian killings
Nagaland killings
On the evening of December 4, Saturday, the Army’s 21 Para Special Force had opened fire at a pick-up van carrying coal miners from Tiru to Oting in Nagaland’s Mon district, killing six on board. They had apparently mistaken the group of workers for insurgents.
A crowd of protestors then set fire to vehicles belonging to the army. They opened fire again, killing seven more civilians.
The violence spilled over into Sunday afternoon after locals entered a camp of the Assam Rifles in the district headquarters of Mon. At least one more person was killed after security forces fired back at protestors.
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