Normal life throughout Nagaland on December 6 came to standstill after various apex tribe and CSOs called for ranging from 6 hours to 12 hours as mark of protest against the gunning down of 13 civilians near Oting by 21 Paras on December 4. In Dimapur, the shutdown was extended further by six hours till 6 p.m.
Offices, shops and business establishments remained closed, while vehicles were off the road, even as paramilitary forces kept away from patrolling areas considered volatile.
Dimapur: In Dimapur, the bandh was enforced by volunteers from various frontal organizations at traffic junctions. However, even pharmacies remain closed but emergency services, police, weddings (carrying a copy of the card) and students appearing for exams were exempted from the purview of the bandh. Shops however did not reopen even after 6 p.m.
Interacting with Nagaland Post, Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) public grievances convener Omega Yepthomi said the decision of continuing the bandh from 12 noon to 6 p.m. was taken at the last moment and also that all business establishment will put up black flags from December 7 as a mark of solidarity.
DCP and PRO Dimapur police, Bharat Laxman Markad said that the bandh passed off peacefully with no report of any untoward incident from anywhere.
Kohima: All activities in Kohima came to a grinding halt during the six-hour shutdown.
The bandh, called by the NSF, remained largely peaceful except for a minor scuffle when volunteers prevented some personnel from IGAR (North) led by one commandant from passing through TCP gate tri-junction in defying the bandh.
Students in proper school uniforms were allowed to move as most schools in and around the town were conducting final exams. People with proper proof of their engagements, including weddings, funerals, hospital visits, etc, were allowed to pass through.
DC Kohima Gregory Thejawhelie, who was monitoring the situation, said that the overall situation during the bandh was peaceful.
Addressing a press conference after the bandh, NSF president Kegwayhun Tep thanked people including the federating and subordinate units for successful completion of the bandh.
He disclosed that in the course of the bandh, confrontations took place at Kohima, Dimapur and Meluri in Phek district, though there was no casualty or injury.
Further, NSF president appealed to the State government to feel the pulse of the people by cancelling the remaining days of Hornbill Festival as Nagas could not celebrate or have joyous moments when people were mourning.
Mentioning that NSF was aware of the monetary packages in the form of ex-gratia handed out by the State government as well as Central government during the mass funeral service of the massacred youth, Tep reminded both state and centre that the lives of Naga youth could not be bought with money and so demanded that justice be ensured at all costs.
He appealed to the government to set up a court-monitored committee headed by a Supreme Court or high court judge in order to ensure a fair and impartial probe.
Tep said if the government was really serious about repealing AFSPA, then it should prove its seriousness by holding a special Assembly session to discuss the matter and revoke the Act, while appealing to the Centre at the same for repealing it.
NSF general secretary Siipuni Ng Philo, said the hypocrisy was that on one hand the State government claims that it had been recommending repealing of the Act to Centre, but the Act was still there.
He dared the state government to prove itself that it was serious on repealing AFSPA from the State by convening a special Assembly session.
Referring to the confrontations with by security forces at three different locations during the bandh, Tep suspected that it could have been a coordinated move to provoke the peaceful bandh supporters.
Philo mentioned that NSF had clearly restricted movement of paramilitary and armed forces personnel during the bandh. He said their defiance was a clear act of provocation since they did not seem to be going out on any official assignment.
Mokokchung: The six-hour bandh called by Ao Senden at Mokokchung town from 6 am to 12 noon passed off peacefully without any untoward incident.
All business establishments downed their shutters and very few pedestrians and vehicular movements were observed.
Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) later took out a silent solidarity march right after the bandh was over. The march started from Imkongmeren sports complex where a programme was held at police point before culminating at DC office premises after submitting a memorandum addressed to the governor.
Representatives from Tenyimia Union Mokokchung, Angami Union Mokokchung, Sumi community, Lotha community, ENPUM, ENSUM, Watsu Mungdang and Ao Senden took part in the march.
Several speakers representing various organisations spoke out at the police point where a brief meeting was held condemning the atrocities of Indian security forces.
They were unanimous in their demand for withdrawal of the contentious AFSPA from Nagaland.
A copy of the memorandum signed by AKM president Nungdokyanger Ao and general secretary Nekmi Longkumer that was made available to the press condemned the inhuman incident of slaughtering unarmed citizens of Oting village by the Indian armed forces.
AKM demanded immediate removal of AFSPA that allowed security forces to unleash terror on innocent civilians when there was already a ceasefire and peaceful negotiations were on.
The memorandum demanded an impartial and independent judicial enquiry into the incident to bring the perpetrators to book immediately, besides removal of security forces from civilian areas.
It also appealed to the governor to intervene promptly and restore democracy in the State.