Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) the apex body of all tribal Baptist churches in Nagaland has demanded justice in Manipur and questioned both the Centre and Manipur state government for resorting to delay tactics adding “justice delayed is justice denied”.
NBCC general secretary Rev. Dr. Z.Keyho asked why the centre and state were not taking any serious steps to stop the wounds when flashes of horror and hatred were being unleashed on innocent and religious minorities who are directly affected and exposed to the horrors unleashed on them and their loved ones?
On behalf of the christian community in the region, Dr. Keyho said NBCC was stating its position through three points:
1.That justice be served and equal protection be guaranteed to all people, regardless of religious affiliation; 2. India cannot go on talking about development while tribals are being dispossessed of their properties and 3. That the nation which witnessed rapes and senseless killing of its citizens must rise above and book those responsible and award them due justice as per the law of the land.
NBCC wondered if the happenings in Manipur for almost three months, was a “well planned execution of certain political and religious group in the nation, against a certain religion and ethnic group in the region?” Despite what has been witnessed, NBCC asserted that the “authority this time, cannot just be silent” on the pretext of “collecting evidences” and asked, what more evidence was needed when naked human eyes witnessed all?
According to NBCC, the evidence of what happened in the most terrible and horrific manner in the post-modern era are not just blowing in the wind, but flying all over and yet to settle down. It said videos circulating of what happened are all evidence such as burning of churches, homes, villages and smokes going up including bodies buried, the beastly rape, inhuman treatment and “parading of our daughters naked.” Even when the dust had not settled, the authority was hiding beneath the pretext that “they are collecting evidence” but the lame excuse only exposed the “mentality that India will always give a step-sisterly treatment to the region”.
NBCC said “our daughters, our mothers, our children and innocents of the land”, became the target of beastly and horrific acts at the hands of those who have lost their sense due to their deep seated hatred.
NBCC said in the destruction of properties, “vandalism is too light a vocabulary”, when places of worship were reduced to ashes.
NBCC said the level of outpouring of hatred within a short span, “surpassed all narrations of persecution against the Christians in the country.”
NBCC said such was not expected in the north east where religious harmony had so far been more evident and elaborate than other parts of India.
NBCC said if the authority was still looking for evidence, then they ought to go to the makeshift camps, talk to children who lost their parents and listen to their stories.
According to NBCC, the delay tactics was enabling lies to be concocted for telling the world, while the truth at home was to try to put thing in order.
Further, NBCC slammed some people for playing the devil’s advocate in the media “in the name of digging the truth” but who are only fuelling hatred to cause further division within the community. This has resulted in society today becoming “ a society of propaganda” where spin doctors are given opportunities to influence opinions.NBCC said all these are happening because the government chose to remain silent.
NBCC said the shame brought, pain caused and tears shed will not be forgotten soon unless justice is delivered to begin the journey of healing process.
NBCC said both the Centre and state government cannot just make comments and shed crocodile tears to appease people and urged upon them to “instil confidence in the minds of the people in the region and the nation.”
It said this vicious cycle should stop and the authority must act and in this regard, appealed to both the Centre and Manipur government to act without wasting time since delay was causing more harm.
“Manipur situation cannot be looked in isolation” said NBCC as the ethnic clash that occurred, “the senseless killings, beastly act on our women and daughters”, the burning down of sacred religious buildings and places of worship have become the face of the region.
NBCC said these shameful and uncivilised acts are “unfit for the region that is moving forward” as nothing has been gained only hatred, fear and uncertainty. Unless the authority act fast, the situation will soon become uncontrollable and spread beyond.
NBCC said if “rapes and beastly treatment “ of daughters and mothers is accepted as “normal” then the nation was yet to see the dawn of civilisation. If public harmony is sought through destruction of one particular religion/faith community in the nation, then the proclamation of secularism is just a vocabulary.
NBCC said leadership that tolerates rapes and mistreatment of our daughters, sisters and mothers are as guilty as the perpetrators and a nation that lacks tolerance, is filled with hatred towards other religious groups and faith is doomed and nothing good can be expected of it.