Dimapur lynching: ‘One act of barbarism has shamed Nagas’

Civil society lament redemption will take ‘long time’

EMN Dimapur, March 12 The council of Dimapur Municipal Council’s ward-2 has denounced the March 5 law breakdown in Dimapur that resulting in the jail break and subsequent lynching of a rape accused by a mob. The act was ‘beyond comprehensions and deserves no justification in any civilized society’ as much as that one act of barbarism has shamed the state, the council stated in a note issued on Thursday. The council lamented that the people continue to make efforts to impress the rest of the world about the Nagas’ culture and heritage “by our participation outside the state as well as organizing events like the Hornbill Festival and so on with the sole purpose of boosting tourism to improve our economy.” However, the council reminded, “this one act of barbarism has really shamed us all and the stigma will remain with us for a very long time to come. It is high time we realize that two wrongs can never make one right and the law should take its own course.” “Now that enough damage has been done, it is expected that the issue is not politicized to score brawny points and we all put our heads together to bring some sanity in our society,” the council has stated. While appealing to all residents of the town to maintain peace and harmony, the council has appealed to the people to avoid rumor-mongering as it disturbs the peace of the society. “The mosque in its jurisdiction near the DDSC ground has not been vandalized as propagated by some vested interests people and the council takes full responsibility for its protection. The unfortunate incident had nothing to do with any religions community and the same should not be exploited to create any ugly situation,” the note stated. “The world is a big family, not just confined to Nagaland, and should not forget the fact that we all are dependent on each other in all spheres whether it is political, social, economic or religion.” ‘Nagas must reflect why our children are now insecure and restless’ Referring to the March 5 incident, the Dimapur Ao Lanur Telongjem (Dimapur Ao youth organization) said the “disgusting incident indicates absence of good governance and spiritual leadership in our state.” The Ao youths have called for introspection of all Nagas and reflect on the direction the state and society have been taking; they must reflect when women are insecure and why the youth are restless. The organization issued a press release on Thursday calling for soul-searching. “It is a time when Naga people in general and political leaders in particular must do serious introspection as to why our daughters become so insecure in our own land and our children become restless and apprehensive,” the Ao Naga youth stated. “We must collectively find solution to this problem before social disorder and lawlessness overtake us again and again.” “We felt ashamed and disgust for inhuman and unchristian act of violence committed by our own Naga people senselessly on 5th March, 2015. This incident brought disgrace to our society and it will take a long, long time to erase this mark of nightmare from our memory,” the organization stated. Nonetheless, the organization has appealed to the Naga civil society must not remain ‘mute spectators in isolation but come together once again’ and work for the future of peaceful and just Naga society. “We assure our cooperation and support to all concerned authorities in the process of delivering justice in connection with the March 5 incident in Dimapur,” the youths stated. The DALT has also expressed deep resentment against what it called the “random exercise undertaking by the police in identifying the culprits involved in 5th March incident as a result innocents are being harassed and made to suffer mental and emotional trauma.” It is uncalled for to summon someone to the police station on the basis of assumption “despite availability of the video and photographic evidences with the concerned investigative agencies,” the organization said. “The present situation demands professionalism on the part of the law enforcing agencies so as to enable them to handle the matter efficiently and also restore the image and credibility of the security force in the state.” Even as the state slowly limps back to apparent normalcy after the shocking March 5 lynching in Dimapur, civil organizations based in Wokha district have issued condemnation for another case, the alleged rape of a minor by a man in Wokha town. Incidentally, the alleged rape is claimed to have taken place on March 3 – just a day before students took to the streets in Dimapur denouncing the alleged rape of a college student. The protests eventually led to the lynching of the accused on March 5 which perhaps for the first time, Nagaland was literally the headline across every news outlet in the country. The Wokha case is alleged to have been committed by a person who Kyong organizations identified as one 64 years old Mhathung Ezung of Longsachung village. The alleged victim is stated to be a 13 year old girl. The Wokha Circle Students’ Union (WCSU) issued a note on Thursday decrying the alleged “heinous rape” committed on the alleged minor girl, said to be from Old Changsu village. The incident allegedly took place in Officer’s Colony of Wokha town. The WCSU termed the incident ‘unfortunate that, the entire society should voice against such barbaric crime in a civil society which all should vehemently condemn.’ The union has urged the law enforcing agencies to probe into the ‘matter seriously and award severe punishment’ as per the provision of the law. In another statement issued to the media on Thursday, the Old Changsu Village Council has said that the alleged victim was a member of Old Changsu Village. The council strongly condemned the “shameful incident” where the 13 year old minor girl was allegedly raped by the father of 5 at the girl’s residence at around 2:30 pm. “The incident came to light when her school going brother returned home from school saw the man raping his sister and the man fled after noticing him. Later, the police was informed and subsequently the arrested accused admitted to the crime he had committed,” the council stated. “Therefore, there is no question of any external injury or penetration; he has committed the crime of raping upon the helpless minor,” the council said. The village organization has asked the law enforcing agencies to ‘award befitting punishment as per the law of the land.’ Failure on the part of the law enforcing agencies “would not be tolerated by any civilized society,” the council warned. ASU denounces Dimapur infamy The Angami Students’ Union (ASU) has expressed ‘extremely pain’ by what it termed the “act of humanly abnormal barbarism and vandalism in Dimapur.” “We are really shocked to clearly see the moral and conscience bankruptcy that has produced such a dirty and abhorring act masterminded by some blood thirsty good for nothing social hags unfit to exist within the realm of human existence,” the ASU stated in a message on March 12. “Nagas are, yes! We are not this. We are far better than this! Who are these tramps to tarnish the Naga image and creating serious social and communal imbalance! This is unacceptable and intolerable! We appreciate the law enforcing agency and the police in Dimapur for their prompt action of arresting the culprits who engineered this filthy act,” the students group sated. The students also condemned the “vagabonds for using the gullible young students by taking advantage of their sentiments” and “fooling them into entering hell for their sinister and devilish design.”