Even the Nagaland BJP chief Temjen Imma Along, also a minister in Rio’s cabinet, termed the incident as a genocide. Konyak Union Kohima president H Angnyei Konyak called for revocation of the AFSPA. Meanwhile, a Naga Hoho delegation led by president HK Zhimomi visited the Oting village to extend its solidarity to the villagers. They were
unanimous in their demand to repeal the draconian law.
Insurgent outfit National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) promptly commented that the ongoing peace talks would not be fruitful under the shadow of AFSPA. The notorious act gives the security personnel (even a non-commissioned officer) the license to arrest, shoot and even kill any individual on mere suspicion, stated the armed outfit adding that Nagas had the bitter taste of AFSPA on numerous occasions till date and for any reason ‘blood and political talks cannot go together’.
Quoting a survivor of the fateful incident, Morung Express newspaper from Nagaland, reported that the justice asked by the victims would be the revocation of AFSPA, so that no such incident can take place in future (neither in Nagaland nor anywhere in the country). Mr Manlei, who is still undergoing medical treatment for injuries, claimed that he was shot by a security person for just questioning about the dead bodies. He was soon taken to a Mon hospital by fellow villagers.
Manlei revealed that his younger brother Shomaang was one of the eight youths returning home after work in a pickup vehicle who faced the bullets of security forces. Shomaang along with five others died on the spot. Manlei arrived at the location later and found that the vehicle was splattered with blood. Initially he along with a few others could not find any dead body, but later those were recovered from a military truck.
Northeast Students’ Organization (NESO) along with its affiliated State units including All Assam Students’ Union, All Manipur Students’ Union, All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union, Khasi Students’ Union, Garo Students’ Union, Mizo Zirlai Pawl, Twipra Student Federation, etc recently organized demonstrations against the ruthless acts of security forces taking advantage of AFSPA provisions. Some of their slogans included “Repeal AFSPA, Punish Guilty Security Personnel, Stop Neglecting Northeast and We Want Peace in Northeast.” Participating in a television debate, anchored by journalist Manas Pratim Deka of ND24 news channel, the AASU general secretary Shankarjyoti Barua made a critical comment that New Delhi still believes ‘there is no India after Kolkata’. He declared that the indigenous people of Northeast stand in solidarity with the residents of Oting who have every right to live with dignity. The student leader even questioned the Centre, why the AFSPA is not enforced in terror affected regions of mainland India.
