Says, govt trying to escape from Oting massacre through AFSPA
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has accused the State government of trying to wriggle itself out of the Oting massacre by focussing on the repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
Therie was reacting to the Republic Day speech of the government read by the chief guest at Pfütsero in which he had attended.
On the Oting massacre, he said it was common knowledge that 21 Para Troopers were involved in the massacre at Tiru Valley, that led to deaths of 13 innocent lives and another death at Mon. Therefore, he asked what more facts do the army’s Court of Enquiry and State government’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) need?
Therie said Tiru Valley was within Nagaland and the responsibility for safety and security of people in the State lay with the chief minister and dy.chief minister . He demanded to know from both as to why the police was not used, if there was any law and order problem?
Therie asked: “Who gave the order to 21 Para Troopers to operate against NSCN(K) at Oting (Tiru Valley)? Why did 21 Para troopers have to come from Jorhat? Is this with the collaboration of Assam’s chief minister? He added that some could be fooled but not all.
He said the state government was crying hoarse against AFSPA without knowing the root and that given the opportunity, the fact will be known sooner or later and criminals booked.
Therie also maintained that the deaths at Oting will not go unpunished and that justice delivered and AFSPA rooted out.
He also accused the State government of being against implementation of solution (to the Naga political issue) by wanting negotiations to resume again despite talks having been concluded.
The NPCC president said if the government wanted a solution, then it must agree with the Agreed Points and stakeholders and urge the Centre to implement them.
Therie mentioned that when Congress had pressed the Centre to implement solution by citing that stakeholders, including 14 tribal organisations, NGBF and other civil society organisations had indicated their desire for implementation of solution, he said the centre had responded positively, but said it would also have to respect “people’s government”.
He acknowledged that “people’s government” could not be ignored in democracy, but alleged that “this people’s government” had lied.
Recalling that the State government had committed to the people to pave the way once an acceptable and honourable solution was found, Therie said the stakeholders have also accepted and honoured the Agreed Position. However, he alleged that the “people’s government” did not want to implement the agreement.
He mentioned that this was the exact situation with Nagaland and termed the State government’s stand as a “betrayal of trust”.
Therie mentioned that it would have been more appropriate to state that law and order was under the control of factions with nine ceasefire monitoring cells located at Dimapur and “guarding all gates” in the State.
Therie also clarified that he respected Republic Day because this gave the people the Constitution of India. However, he said while returning back from Pfutsero, he had felt betrayed by the contents of the speech read out by the chief guest.
According to Therie, the priorities spelt out in the speech were all routine and regretted that the government showed no desire to address the growing needs and problems of the State.
He alleged that major sectors in infrastructure, load-shedding every alternative hour, acute shortage of water to all major towns and State Capital, health coverage in rural areas and coverage for the terminally ill and creation of jobs were are all ignored.
Therie also lamented that people could not depend on State transport anymore and even old age pensions were drawn by ruling party workers. He also accused the government of totally ignoring traffic congestion and having no plan to promote growth of economy nor the industrial sector. He said the government has no intention of developing Institutions, colleges, and centres of higher learning and therefore, revealing that it has abandoned any commitment to development.