The Global Naga Forum has said it outrightly condemns the ruthless killing of former Arunachal Pradesh MLA, Yumsen Matey, in Tirap district on December 16 stating that he was a dedicated public servant and community leader. “The saddest part is that some Nagas have become active participants and soldiers in the execution of the evil design. The Naga public cannot find a defensible reason for Nagas killing one another,” GNF rued in a press release issued on Tuesday.
Urging the Naga communities to stay vigilant, promote dialogue, and to strengthen the bonds that have sustained its collective aspiration for self-determination since 1929, GNF said the Tirap, Changlang, and Longding (TCL) area, where Yumsen Matey served his people, has had a disproportionate share of resistance-related fatalities and remains a battleground where various forces manipulate internal grievances for their nefarious interests.
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“Nagas are living at a critical time in our history. The current situation urgently requires Nagas in every state and region of the ancestral homeland to beware of the games being played by different agencies seeking to undermine the Naga cause. We must recognize the importance of unity and resilience against these calculated attempts to fracture and fragment our peoplehood,” the forum added.
The Global Naga Forum conveying its sincere condolences to the bereaved family members as they grieve the loss of their loved one, appealed for justice for Yumsen Matey and his family.
In another press release issued on Wednesday, Naga Forum stated it cannot understand why Assam Rifles personnel detained an innocent Naga student of Theology on December 15, 2023 in Wakka, Longding District of Arunachal Pradesh, adding that “The lack of justifiable reason for violating the student’s right to travel home for Christmas leaves us with no choice but to protest and vehemently condemn the reprehensible act.”
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GNF stating the facts of the incident maintained that the “Theology student victim was returning home for Christmas; the Assam Rifles arbitrarily detained him at Wakka town on the morning of 15th December at 7 AM, despite the victim possessing a valid student ID and raising no suspicions; the victim was subjected to relentless and unnecessary interrogation until midday of 16th December. The student was traveling in a hired pickup. He was bringing a community Rice Mill to his village, an equipment that would have relieved the six-and-seven year old girls of the village from having to choose between pounding paddy for hours or missing school and other community activities. It was to save the little girls from this burden that the village women’s society had decided to procure the much needed Rice Mill for the welfare of the entire village community.”
Accusing the Assam Rifles of harassment over the incident, GNF said that the AR ultimately decided that the innocent Theology student whom they had harassed did not deserve to go home. “They sent the student back to Dimapur, instead of to his village where he was headed for the warmth of home with family and friends at Christmas,” GNF said.
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Further, the forum said the latest case is among the many cases of harassment and persecution of innocent Naga civilians by the Assam Rifles, stating that such incidents by them have gone on for many decades, back to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act of 1958. “Like the ones before, this is an egregious act for multiple reasons: it violates the fundamental principles of civilized society and basic human rights; it undermines public trust in the armed forces; and it creates an environment of intimidation, fear, and insecurity that has a direct destabilizing effect on Naga communities,” said GNF.
Calling for an immediate and transparent investigation into the incident to bring those responsible to justice, and for rule of law to prevail in a democratic society, the Global Naga Forum observed that “there must be accountability even for the Indian armed forces who wantonly violate the basic human rights of Naga people.”
Urging the authorities to prioritize the safe return of the affected student to his home, along with the Rice Mill, GNF questioned how long must the Indian government sanction the abuses of its military against the Nagas?
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