Nagaland govt. calls off Hornbill Festival

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Dec. 7 (EMN): Nagaland Cabinet on Tuesday decided to call off “all activities” for the remaining days of the Hornbill Festival 2021 in view of the mourning period across the state and beyond, following the killing of 14 civilians by security forces in Mon district.

The 10-day festival, which began on December 1, was cancelled after the fifth day (evening session called off), hours after the incident at Oting village.

Addressing journalists in Kohima, state spokesperson and Minister of Planning and Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu said that “all activities of the ongoing Hornbill Festival 2021 has been ceased” in view of the mourning for the deceased in the firing incident, and as demanded by various civil society organisations.

However, stalls at Kisama would be open for visitors.

The Cabinet also decided to appeal to all visitors to help the entrepreneurs who have set up stalls at the Hornbill Festival by purchasing their items.

It also directed the Tourism department to conduct a “simple solemn” closing ceremony for the Hornbill Festival.

Commissioner and Secretary for Tourism, I Kitto Zhimomi expressed hope that the cancellation of the festival would not discourage tourists from visiting Nagaland again. He further asked them to empathise with the people of the state.

Though festivities will be ceased, food and other stalls run by artisans and craftsmen will continue to open, he added.

“Also we have decided to support the demands made by the Konyak Union to the President of India through a press release dated December 6,” he added.

Cabinet was briefed on the action taken by the government including setting up of a special investigation team (SIT) headed by an IGP consisting of four other members, grant of ex-gratia to the next of kin to each of the deceased by the state and central governments, he added.

The Cabinet decided that the SIT should complete the investigation within the time limit of one month given by the state government.

AFSPA

Kronu also informed that the Cabinet had decided to write to Centre for “immediate repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 from the state”.

On this, Nagaland state BJP President, Temjen Imna Along said it is the job of the state government to put forth to remove AFSPA in Nagaland. Therefore, irrespective of party lines, the Cabinet had decided to appeal to the Centre to give reassurance by repealing the law in the state.

He added that ‘it is up to the Central government to understand the feelings of the people’.

He also said that his office would have a meeting soon to discuss the matter, after which the sentiments of the people would be presented to the central leadership.

On the Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on December 6, he said the statement is in “concurrence” with the SIT report.

Mon incident casualties

On the Mon incident, the minister informed that two persons were critical and admitted to a hospital in Dibrugarh, six persons admitted to the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR) in Dimapur, 22 injured persons had recovered, while the death toll stands at 14.

He further informed that the law and order situation in Mon was under control.

Core Committee meeting on Dec. 9

Meanwhile, Kronu informed that the core committee on the Naga political issue will hold a meeting on December 9 to discuss the Naga issue and it will be attended by North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Convenor and Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma.