Kohima Village Youth Organisation (KVYO) has appreciated the timely government response to the controversial words used in order to shift Hornbill International Rock Contest (HIRC) to Dimapur city.
According to KVYO, “security related Issues” was too unpalatable for it in particular and for every law-abiding resident of the Capital. Even the mention of “traffic congestion” was confounding since both Kohima and Dimapur face the same problem, the organisation added.
In a statement, KVYO president, Medozhatuo Rutsa and general secretary Ruokuoneitso Kire clarified that it never objected to the shifting of HIRC or any Hornbill-related activity to any part of the State by the government. “Nor is there any reason for us to do so for something that is not at all our prerogative,” it said.
The organisation, however, stated that the earlier “shocking excuse defiled our image and nullified all previous sacrifices”, and added that Kohima had hosted all previous editions of HIRC and other events successfully without any breach of security.
“From the time Hornbill festival was first celebrated at Kohima Local Ground (Khuochiezie) till today where various events have expanded to Kisama, Peren, Zunheboto, Phek and Dimapur districts.
There has never been a security threat either at Kohima or any of the other districts, including Dimapur,” KVYO pointed out.
KVYO said– “We Nagas have never been known for ill-treatment of our visitors and guest. Not even the enemy during periods of unrest and conflict.
Every Naga community, including Kohima village, goes out of its way to ensure the safety of people residing within. The state government should of all institutions never again give false negative and whimsical labels to places and people! Especially for an entertainment activity.”
It added: “KVYO wishes that people and communities imagine themselves in our place and understand why we couldn’t remain silent and swallow an insult upon our community publicly for a mere Rock concert!”
KVYO said that from the beginning it desired that the issue be laid to rest by undoing the wrong that was said.
And with CMO finally retracting the statement and “clarifying” upon the matter, the organisation expressed its gratitude to the chief minister for his maturity and also to all those upright government servants, honest public leaders of Kohima and others, besides a very supportive public who stood with KVYO when Kohima was falsely labelled in national and state media unjustly.
KVYO also wished HIRC a grand success and assured its cooperation to the district and law enforcement agencies for any Hornbill Festival-related activity that might be held in its area as it was in the past.