Ukhrul, December 3: As Nagaland celebrates one of the biggest festivals of Northeast India, the 25th edition of Hornbill Festival, December 4th also marks the third anniversary of the tragic Oting Massacre.
The Global Naga Forum has issued a statement remembering the lives lost in the attack, and condemning the continuing lack of justice for the victims. On December 4, 2021, 14 innocent civilians were killed in a brutal assault by the Indian Army in the Oting village of Mon district, Nagaland. The massacre, carried out under the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), has left deep scars on the community and the collective conscience of the Naga people.
In the statement or remembrance, the Global Naga Forum expressed its continued outrage over the incident and the subsequent dismissals of responsibility by the Indian government. The Union Home Minister, in an address to Parliament, controversially dismissed the massacre as a case of “mistaken identity,” an explanation that the forum describes as a blatant disregard for justice and humanity. The statement also highlighted the Supreme Court of India’s rejection of the Nagaland government’s petition to prosecute the soldiers involved, a setback in the pursuit of justice for the victims’ families. “Such actions not only disregard the pain and loss endured by the victims’ families but also perpetuate a culture of impunity,” GNF stated.
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The statement also calls for the urgent repeal of AFSPA, a law that has been a source of widespread criticism for granting the military sweeping powers in conflict zones, often leading to human rights violations. The Global Naga Forum asserts that AFSPA has subjected the people of Nagaland and the Northeast to years of violence and oppression, and continues to enable such atrocities.
The GNF while extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims, vowing to stand in solidarity with them in their ongoing quest for justice says it reaffirm its commitment to the families of Oting, and call upon every citizen and institution in India to rise against the systemic violence perpetuated by AFSPA, as it added, “Justice delayed must not become justice denied.”
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