- Loreni Tsanglao, NET Correspondent, Nagaland
The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) asserted that it has “temporarily withdrawn non-cooperation to Indian security forces” for averting any development of adverse circumstances in law and order situation in the region while placing trust and confidence upon the peoples’ mandate.
According to a press release issued by the Konyak Union on Sunday, “the temporary withdrawal of non-cooperation served towards the Indian security forces by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) as endorsed by the ENPO tribal leaders and Oting village council on the 4th & 5th Mon killing and many injured, the Konyak civil societies are not compromised with the Justice demanded that was put forward to the President of India and the Konyak CSOs will steadfastly adhere to its decision to pursue until the justice is met.”
“It is deeply felt that the comprehensive notion of withdrawal of non-cooperation is to restrain any development of adverse circumstances in law and order situation in the region while placing trust and confidence upon the peoples’ mandate authority and the peoples’ demand should not go futile”, the release further added.
These three demands were that all military forces/personnel of the 21 Indian para troopers involved in the killing of 14 innocent civilians be identified and brought to justice under applicable civil law, and actions taken must be made public, and that AFSPA be completely removed from India’s northeastern states.
The release went on to say that enforcing non-cooperation was an expression of people’s feelings, and that temporary withdrawal should not be taken for granted.
The Union further questioned the government as to why the action is not initiated since the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on the incidents had already been submitted and that It should be initiated in a fast tract in delivering justice as demanded by the people on the barbaric killing of the innocent civilians as also assured for justice by AR Maj. Gen. Vikas Lakhera, SM, IGAR North on Feb 7, 2022 at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner, Mon.
“Withdrawal of Non-cooperation to Indian military forces does not mean withdrawal of our demand for justice and the partially lifting of AFSPA in Nagaland is not delivering justice as demanded by the Konyak CSOs and if there is delay in delivering justice as demanded while placing trust upon the concerned authority, the Konyak Civil society spearheaded by Konyak Union would break the trust and confidence and shall opt to resume the Non-Cooperation movement towards the Indian military forces that the onus will be held by the government and Justice delay is justice denied!.” – the release mentioned.
Its worth noting that the ENPO on April 28, 2022 through a press release informed the withdrawal of non cooperation to Indian security forces by the people of Eastern Nagaland.
As per the press release, ENPO condemned the “barbaric acts meted out to the innocent civilians on December 4 and 5, 2021 at Oting village and Mon town respectively by the Jorhat based 21 Para Commandos, wherein 14 innocent lives were mercilessly shot dead and several others injured,” which resulted in declaring non co-operation to the Indian security forces by the people of Eastern Nagaland on December 14 2021 at Longleng town.
However, the ENPO said that the organization, “with all our wisdom, and in true Christian spirit of forgiveness takes this stand to restore the severed trust, relation and co-operation between the people of Eastern Nagaland and Indian Security Forces, upholding the popular slogan of ‘friends to all, enemies to none; and as initiated and requested by the Inspector General of Assam Rifles (North).”
“In the interest of mutual co-existence and respect : it temporarily withdraws all forms of non-co-operation towards Indian security forces in the presence of S Phangnon Konyak, MP, Rajya Sabha.” the organization added.
