The Oting Village Council and victim families said in a statement that they will not receive the compensation until and unless the culprits are brought to justice and demanded repeal of AFSPA from the North East.
Locals stage a protest demanding repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Mon district of Nagaland, Saturday, December 11, 2021. Photo: PTI
Kohima: The villagers of Oting in Nagaland’s Mon district and families of the 14 people killed in the shootings by security forces refused any government compensation until the personnel involved are “brought to justice”.
In a statement, the Oting Village Council said that on December 5 when the locals were busy with funeral arrangements and other works in the aftermath of the killings, Rs 18.30 lakh was given by state minister P. Paiwang Konyak and the district’s deputy commissioner.
At first, they assumed it to be a “token of love and gift” from the minister but later learnt it was an instalment of the ex gratia from the state government for the families of those killed and injured, it said.
“The Oting Village Council and victim families will not receive it until and unless the culprit of 21st Para Commandos of the Indian Armed Force are brought to justice before the Civil code of law and repeal of Armed Force Special Power Act (AFSPA) from the entire North Eastern region,” the statement said.
The statement, issued on Sunday, was signed by Village Council chairman Longwang Konyak, Angh (‘king’) Tahwang, Deputy Angh Chingwang and Gaon Burahs (village chieftains) of Mongnei and Nyanei.
The Nagaland government had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the 14 people killed in firing by security forces.
On December 4, a contingent of the army’s counter-insurgency unit, 21 Para Special Forces, killed six civilians and injured two others – all residents of Oting village in the state’s Mon district bordering Myanmar – while they were returning home in a pick-up van after working at a coal mine. The security forces apparently ‘mistook’ them for militants, The Wire had reported.
However, Union home minister Amit Shah, while expressing regret over the incident, claimed in the Lok Sabha that the vehicle carrying civilians which was fired at was asked to stop but did not. This claim has since been refuted by eyewitnesses and survivors of the incident.
Opposition members staged a walkout as they were not satisfied with the home minister’s statement.
(With inputs from PTI)
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(With input from news agency language)
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