Nagaland: Orgs express shock after SC ruling on Oting incident

Dimapur: The Naga Students Federation (NSF), NSCN (IM), Naga Hoho and Oting Students Union (OSU) expressed shock and resentment over the closure of criminal proceedings by the Supreme Court against the accused Indian army personnel involved in the December 4, 2021, massacre at Oting village in Mon district of Nagaland.

On September 17, the apex court quashed the FIRs against the 30 army personnel involved in the incident with the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 serving as the protective shield.

Thirteen civilians were in Oting village on December 4, 2021, in an alleged botched operation by the 21 Para Special Forces while another was killed the next day in the violence that ensued in the Mon district headquarters.

Expressing its utmost indignation over the closure of criminal proceedings, the NSF said such action “compounds the gross injustice the Naga people have endured”.

In a representation Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday, the NSF pointed out that the SIT formed by the Nagaland government to investigate the incident had filed a chargesheet naming 30 members of the 21 Para (Security Forces), based on “irrefutable evidence” after  thorough investigation.

The federation demanded prosecution sanction against accused army personnel, saying it was appalled by the consistent refusal to do so by the Government of India.

It said the denial of prosecution raises serious questions about what the Centre might be trying to hide and why justice is being withheld despite the gravity of the crime.

Expressing shock and disappointment, the OSU called the SC ruling “disheartening”. It said the horrific incident remains a “painful scar in the hearts of the entire community.”

The union said it was hoping for justice and accountability for the “senseless and brutal loss” of lives but the decision to absolve those responsible without holding them accountable is not only disheartening but also an insult to the memory of the victims and grieving families.

It added that the ruling has also ‘shattered’ the faith of the people of Oting and the Nagas in the judiciary.

The Naga Hoho said the SC’s decision to terminate FIRs sent a harrowing message that justice will remain out of reach of the victims and their families.

Viewing the ruling as an outrage to the pursuit of justice and accountability, the hoho said the Oting massacre was a clear violation of human rights and that the repudiation of the case undermines both the credibility of the judicial process and the public trust in the rule of law.

It urged the Nagaland government to not give up in its efforts to seek justice for the victims’ families in particular and the Naga people in general.

The NSCN (IM) said the SC ruling came as a rude shock to the Nagas and expressed its strong objection against the denial of justice to the victims.

“The Nagas are justice-loving people and cannot imagine how the perpetrators of a crime of such enormity are allowed to go scot-free,” it said.