Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 2
In protest against the prevailing situation in Kohima, the Angami Youth Organization (AYO) along with all the youth organization of various colonies in Kohima today staged a protest rally here and later submitted a memorandum to the Home Minister against repeated violence in public inhabited areas by anti- social elements in the capital city Kohima and demanded for public safety.
The youth rally through Kohima town via South Gate-Y Junction- Secretariat with a general banner “We want “Kohima” a safe place to dwell for every citizen.” Among the several number of placards carried by the youth at the rally some of the prominent message displayed included “No more bloodshed,” “ We want peace,” “ Don’t play your Rock & Roll,” “ We condemn factional killing,” “Stop turf war,” “Can you survive without the public,” “Leave the public alone go to your designated camp” etc etc.
The rally through a memorandum demanded that the state government particularly the Home Department to ensure and implement that the safety of the public is guaranteed at all cost. “That all factions/ undergrounds strictly adhere to the laid down cease-fire ground rules. Further, the state government should see that all armed underground cadres are evicted from the civilian populated areas, failing which the government shall be responsible for any untoward eventuality,” another demand said.
It also demanded that any anti-social elements registered under any criminal case should not be granted bail until the case is fully tried by the court of law. As a subject of the government, the memorandum said, citizens and civilian security holds on priority for any government. “Nevertheless, factional related clashes, extortion and disruption of peaceful public life by anti-social elements and organised criminal groups have put the lives of the innocent and peace-loving citizens in peril.”
The memorandum said that they were constrained to state that in the recent few months, violence and related factional killings in and around Kohima city has caused many innocent public to become the primary victims to the lapses of law machinery.
It cited some recent incidents as; shooting at Upper Agri Colony on 29th December 2011 where 3 civilians, including minor were injured, shooting at Secretariat area on 17th February 2012 injuring one civilian, shooting at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima on 17th March 2012 where one civilian was injured.
The memorandum said that on 17th March 2012, a most disgusting factional related shootout took place in the premises of Naga Hospital claiming the life of a cadre of a faction, adding that the indiscriminate firing at NHAK with utter disregard for the lives of the public, injuring an innocent civilian, defiled the sanctity of the Hospital and created a lot of fear psychosis among the patients in the Hospitals.
Consequent to the indiscriminate firing in the NHAK, the memorandum said, AYO peeved with the violation of humanitarian law convened an emergency meeting with the presidents and general secretaries of the youth organizations of various colonies in Kohima. Vehemently condemning the incident, the joint meeting of the youth organizations resolved to publicly stage their resentment against all sort of violence in public inhabited places. The fourth point of resolution reads, “Further, it was also resolved that if any factional clash occurs or attempts to disrupt the peaceful environment in the town is made, the youth will take its own course of action.”
The memorandum said that with the publication of its resolution on 22nd March 2012 in the press, to the dismay of the youth Kohima, another factional violence occurred within a couple of days in which one cadre of a faction was abducted and shot dead.
“The continuous factional clashes and bloodshed in the town had brought a lot of insecurity among the public and the situation proves to be worsening gradually,” the memorandum regretted. The rally said that it look forward to the government having the courage to shoulder its responsibility in protecting the public.
Home minister on memorandum
KOHIMA, APRIL 2 (MExN): Home Minister Imkong L. Imchen said he “willingly accepts” the memorandum submitted by Angami Youth Organization (AYO) and youth organizations of various colonies of Kohima after a protest rally held in Kohima today, saying that the government was appreciative of their efforts and the government is really concern.
He said the government is trying to discover new grounds to control the unruly situation and at the same time sought the cooperation of the public in this respect. “We should sit more and work out modality,” he told a meeting with the representatives of AYO and others in the presence high ranking government officials at the Chief Secretary Conference Hall.
MLA Dr. Nicky Kire, Chief Secretary Lalthara, DGP O. Alem, Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner Banuo Z. Jamir, Home Commissioner J. Alam, DC Kohima, SP Kohima and others were also present at the meeting.
The Minister told AYO representatives and others after receiving a memorandum that “Killing a Naga by a Naga is not Naga Nationalism”, he said expressing disgust over the illegal activities of anti-social elements. We cannot make every citizen a suspect, he added, but in the process, crimes are committed thereby creating fear and insecurities in the minds of the people. He also said that the government’s target is set to secure security to the public and instill peace in the society.
AYO President Khrielievi Chusi said the continuous factional clashes and bloodshed in the state capital Kohima has brought a lot of insecurity among the public and the situation has gone from bad to worse.
He said the government should take stern action to bring back security to the people. Chusi added that the time has come for us to say “enough is enough”, and urged the government to take the memorandum seriously and find solution.
