Ex-gratia announced for Mon victims

Kohima: Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the family of each victim of Mon district incident by the State Government of Nagaland. Rio also informed that the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah assured an ex-gratia of Rs 11 lakh and a government job to one member of each victim’s family, according to a DIPR report. 

Neiphiu Rio announced this during the funeral service in honor of the civilians killed at Oting village and Mon district headquarters on December 4 and 5 by the Army, according to the DIPR report. The funeral service was held at Helipad Ground in Mon today.

Chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, deputy chief minister, Y. Patton, minister Metsubo Jamir, minister Neiba Kronu and minister Pangyu Phom, former chief minister T.R. Zeliang and all the Konyak legislators were among the thousands who attended the funeral service, according to the report. 

Rio in his speech stated that he along with his colleagues were there to mourn together with the people of Mon. He stated that the whole state is with the Konyaks and the Eastern Naga People’s Organisation (ENPO) to observe December 4 and 5 as black days against the incidents which “took the lives of innocent Nagas by the army”, the report said. 

Rio then assured the people that the components of the joint memorandum submitted by the KU, KNSK and KSU, which falls under the States prerogative will be looked into and for those under the Centre, the state government will work towards it’s fulfillment. 

Representatives from Konyak Legislators, ENPO, Konyak Union, KNSK, ENSF, KSU, Village Council of Oting, Jakphang and Chi delivered speeches condemning the incident and the cruel and draconian provisions of AFSPA. 

NNN