Charter of demand submitted to CM
Dimapur, March 31 (MExN): 9 days after the March 22 incident in Peren district in which 3 persons were killed allegedly by armed assailants, the Zeliangrong Baudi Nagaland (ZBN) and Nagaland Zeliang People Organization (NZPO) on March 31 submitted a charter of demand to State Chief Minister (CM) Neiphiu Rio.
The organizations noted that a week has passed since the killings, but except for the formation of an SIT, no concrete action has been taken by the State Government, adding that ‘justice delayed is justice denied’.
In their charter of demand, the ZBN and NZPO stated that before making the tragic March 22 massacre a tribal or village issue, the guilty officers and criminals involved must first be taken to task and punished under appropriate sections of the law. Ample opportunities will be available later to settle issues or claims of traditional ownership and ancestral lands, they added.
They demanded the arrest of the culprits involved and to establish their identities within 10 days with effect from March 31, 2021.
Questioning why the State government has not taken any punitive action against the government officers who failed to prevent the incident or take action against the suspected intruders, the ZBN and NZPO also demanded the immediate termination of the Post Commander of 9 IRB Coy from active service presently posted at Lamhainamdi village.
While stating that the CM’s assurance has been a source of comfort, they questioned how long it would take for the guilty to be punished and for justice to be delivered.
Deploying security forces alone will not do justice; they stressed, alleging that the March 22 incident took place ‘under the nose’ of the 9 IRB Coy which was posted within the perimeter of the incident.
They alleged that the State government in Kohima and its machineries at the district level including the district administration and district police were “very much aware” of the impending danger but sat over the matter till the fateful day.
“This negligence has exposed the general public to high risk today and the same cannot be an excuse,” they asserted.
‘CM and Home Minister must act’
Demanding action from the State CM and Home Minister, the ZBN and NZPO sought to draw the CM’s attention to various ‘pertinent facts’ which they hoped would be considered in delivering justice.
While stating that the State government must not to be confused or confuse its citizens, the ZBN and NZPO added that criminal cases must not be mixed up with district boundary issue or land disputes.
The organizations traced back to September 6, 2019 when a group of armed miscreants allegedly came to Lamhainamdi village under Peren district and resorted to ‘indiscriminate firing’ during the wee hours.
“After the handful of villagers numbering around 21 fled for their lives, the criminals burnt down houses including the village Church following which FIR was filed at Jalukie PS, written representations were submitted to the Government and public took to the streets demanding justice for the crime,” they stated.
They questioned on actions taken by the government and results that emerged then.
Further, on February 29, 2021, the organizations stated that 8 houses were burnt down by miscreants most of whom were allegedly identified as hailing from Kiyevi village.
Again on March 2, 2021, two villagers from Lamhainamdi along with an auto driver were abducted from the village on the pretext that they were engaged in stealing timber from the teak plantation of N Kitovi Zhimomi, General Secretary of GPRN/NSCN, the ZBN and NZPO recounted.
While the State government was supposed to exercise authority over such affairs, the organizations said that the 3 abducted persons were released under the initiative of Chairman, CFMG/CFSB.
Alleging that the trio was “abducted using 8 Police Escort vehicles provided by the State Government for the personal security of N Kitovi Zhimomi” and kept under ‘wrongful confinement’ inside the designated camp of GPRN/NSCN at Khehoi for 12 days, the ZBN and NZPO further said that the State government and its machineries was nowhere to be seen then.
“Such criminal activities by UG functionaries, if left unchecked, will destroy the hard-earned peace of any given Society at any given point of time,” they cautioned. They further demanded that immediate arrest must be made under relevant section of the law irrespective of “whether a person belongs to an overground or an underground Organization.”
On March 17, 2021, 2 prayer houses were burnt down in broad day light which was followed by the March 22 incident, they added.
While acknowledging that it would not be proper to blame the Sumi community in general for the killing of the three Zeliangrong men, the organizations however alleged that the ‘terrorist activities’ at Lamhainamdi are being carried out by miscreants hailing from the Sumi community.
In this regard, the ZBN and NZPO demanded for the culprits to be arrested and their identities revealed within 10 days. “In the event our trust and faith in the State Government falls short of expectation, we will be left with no other option but to initiate our own course of action,” they cautioned.
“…any untoward outcome emerging out of it will be the sole responsibility of the State Government,” they added.
