June 3 incident: ZSUN holds symbolic peaceful protest rally

Demands prompt action against erring officials within 7 days 

 

Morung Express News
Jalukie | June 10

“Not once but even after been twice bitten, the state government is still shying away from its responsibilities.” That is what the public of Peren conveyed at a symbolic rally held at Jalukie town under the aegis of the Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland (ZSUN) on June 10.

The ZSUN had called for a peaceful protest rally to be held simultaneously in Peren and Jalukie towns on Wednesday against the June 3 incident where a COVID-19 positive patient was sent to Peren district along with 16 other returnees who tested negative in the first test in Dimapur. 

The protest rally was held against the backdrop of the May 26 ‘Tuensang fiasco’ where a COVID-19 positive patient was boarded in the same bus along with other returnees and sent to Tuensang violating the standard operation procedure (SOP) of the state government.

In deference to the 144 CrPC imposed by the district administration, the protest rally in Jalukie town was trimmed down to a symbolic protest-cum-media meet, but in Peren town the protest rally was reportedly carried out following SOP guidelines- maintaining social distancing and wearing masks.

At the symbolic protest and media meet held in the conference hall of Jalukie Town Women Welfare Organization, president ZSUN, Dithuibo Newmai, said ZSUN had cancelled the proposed rally in Jalukie town in deference to the order (144 CrPC) of the district administration. “However, we decided to go ahead with the symbolic protest and press conference so that our voice and grievances can be heard loud and clear,” the ZSUN president said.

Newmai also clarified that the protest should not be construed as “political” but that it was a genuine protest against the negligence of the state government vis-a-vis COVID-19 preparedness in the district.

A host of speakers representing the Zeliangrong Baudi Nagaland, Civil Rights Forum Peren District, Jalukie Students’ Union, Jalukie Youth Organization, Baptist Pastors Fellowship Jalukie town, Women Welfare Organization Jalukie Town and Jalukie Traders’ Union also addressed the press meet.

Majority of the speakers underscored on the un-preparedness of Peren district to handle the inflow of returnees, estimated to be around 1500, with the lone COVID-19 designated hospital at Jalukie presently having only 20 beds and an ICU.

They also pointed out that Peren district having the highest number of positive cases, district wise, there were only 8 doctors and 84 nurses in the COVID-19 Hospital. A representative of Jalukie Youth Organization questioned whereas the government had failed to follow the guidelines of SOP, why then was the government curtailing the rights of the citizens to voice out their grievances when the proposed peaceful rally was to be held in adherence to SOP guidelines.

President, ZBN, CR Zeliang said all along, ZBN and CSOs of Peren district had extended all out support to the district administration in identifying quarantine centres and providing other logistics. Zeliang also said that when the Chief Minister himself announced that he would head the newly formed High Power Committee on COVID-19, the public of Peren district were very optimistic that a repetition the Tuensang fiasco would never happen.

The CSO representatives further informed that at Peren district presently, there around 380 returnees who were sent directly to the district’s quarantine centres without being tested. 

ZSUN General Secretary informed The Morung Express that the union submitted a 7-day ultimatum to the Chief Minister and High Power Committee through the Deputy Commissioner, Peren, demanding prompt action against erring officials and establishment of COVID Hospital in the district with modern facilities.

It also demanded that the state government immediately provide adequate tools and machineries to set up a makeshift ICU in the District Hospital and post adequate staff to man the hospital.