Guwahati: The Konyak Union, the apex body of the Konyak Naga Tribe from the Mon district of Nagaland where the killing of 13 civilians took place, has sent a memorandum of demands to the government.
Following Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s address on Monday in the parliament on the death of 14 civilians in a failed Army operation in Nagaland. The Naga tribe that most of those killed belonged to has issued a five-point memorandum of demands relating to swift and strict action against responsible defense personnel and taking back special powers granted to the Army and security forces in the state.
The Konyak Union has made the following demands:
- Set up an independent inquiry committee under a competent investigating agency, which should include two members from the Naga civil society in the investigation.
- All army personnel involved must be booked and punished under the applicable civil court.
- Action taken against the army personnel should be put out in the public domain within 30 days.
- Immediate withdrawal of Assam Rifles from the Mon district.
- Repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the entire Northeast of India.
“Government of India expresses regrets over the incident and condolences to those killed… an SIT has been formed and has been directed to complete investigation in a month. The situation is tense but under control. All agencies have to ensure such incidents do not happen in the future,” Amit Shah told the Lok Sabha today.
Amit Shah did not clarify if the centre planned to give permission to prosecute those members of the armed forces – protected under AFSPA – involved in the killings.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his counterpart in Meghalaya Conrad Sangma have also demanded the repeal of AFSPA.
AFSPA has been in force in Nagaland and parts of the northeast for several decades. Under this legislation, security forces can conduct operations anywhere where the law is in effect and arrest without prior warrants.
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