Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) and Globa Naga Forum(GNF) have taken strong exception to the tying of ‘rakhi’ by some Naga women on security force jawans during the recent Raksha Bandhan celebration in Dimapur and Tamenglong in Manipur.
NMA: NMA president Abei-ü Meru and joint secretary Malsawmthangi Leyri described it as shame and a black day to witness Naga women tying rakhis and felicitating “these very armed forces” when Naga women were yet to see justice for war crimes and human rights violations committed against Naga women, children and men.
Further, NMA pointed out that Naga women were “traumatized by a genocidal history of rapes, molestation, killings, village groupings, inhumane army atrocities at the hands of Indian armed forces under the impunity of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)”.
NMA also recalled the “horrifying massacre” of Nagas at Matikhrü in 1960 by the 16th Punjab Regiment. NMA said the incident is observed as “Black Day” on September 6 and which remains as “a record of extreme violation of human rights, whereby the army committed the barbaric beheading of our innocent villagers.”
NMA also cited the killings, tortures and rapes at Oinam and surrounding villages under Operation Bluebird; Mokokchung arson, rapes and killings; Pangsha fake encounter and killing of an innocent wife and mother, villagers and unarmed cadres and maiming for life, two surviving women victims, reckless shooting and killing of two children at Wuzu Firing being still fresh in “our recent memory”.
In the light of these, NMA termed it as “unacceptable to us Naga women” the recent press statement of 44 Assam Rifles, Tamenglong, on tying of rakhi by some Naga women. NMA said Indian armed forces should not sermonize in the face of such atrocities adding that its objection to Raksha Bhandan was not an issue about cultural practices or religious differences. It said the objection to rakhi was about denial of justice on war crimes against Nagas including its women and children, under the imposition of AFSPA.
NMA has therefore urged upon national secretary BJP Mahila Morcha Aienla Jamir and Dimapur District Mahila Morcha president Avi Aomi and their team, the student union and women in Tamenglong that instead of carrying out such objectionable programs, they must join Naga women, if they were true Nagas and raise their voices to the Government of India and Central BJP leaders for repeal of AFSPA and justice for crimes committed by the Indian armed forces including the Assam Rifles.
GNF: Meanwhile, reacting to the 44 Assam Rifles on celebrating raksha bandhan with local women at Tamenglong, the Global Naga Forum (GNF) through its media cell said that AFSPA and raksha bandhan were incompatible.
GNF said that Naga homeland had been under continuous Indian military occupation since the mid-1950s, adding that most Nagas today know of no other reality.
Pointing out that in Tamenglong area alone, there were 16 army camps, 3 battalions, and 13 outposts, the GNF questioned “Why this heavy Indian military presence in a small area? Whom are they protecting, against what or whom?”
The forum maintained that the Indian armed forces were there to prevent Nagas from exercising their human right of self-determination. It said that the Assam Rifles were in Tamenglong not to protect the Naga women or rescue them from “harm and injustice” from Naga men.
Further, GNF also expressed great concern over the visit of BJP Mahila Morcha national secretary and BJP Mahila Morcha Dimapur district president leading their team to the 1st MGR, North Assam Rifles for tying Rakhis on Raksha Bandhan.
The forum said that mahila morcha through this activity brought shame on Naga women, victims of rape and killings by the Indian armed forces, who would never see justice as long as the “Draconian law (AFSPA) remains in force in the Naga areas.”
GNF asked that “politically motivated women and their BJP party” to understand that the war on Nagas of genocide and inhumane violations of human rights must see justice at the earliest.