KOHIMA: The Global Naga Forum (GNF) has strongly objected to the Supreme Court of India’s ruling to terminate criminal proceedings against 30 Army personnel involved in the 2021 Oting massacre, in which 14 civilians were killed.
In a statement, the GNF expressed deep disappointment over the court’s decision, which was delivered on September 17.
The ruling has reignited anger among the Naga people, who have long suffered under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) of 1958.
“This tragic event resulted in the deaths of 14 innocent civilians and remains a powerful reminder of the ongoing violence and injustices faced by the Naga people, perpetuated under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) of 1958,” GNF said in a statement issued by its president Chuba Ozukum and co-convenor Rosemary Dzuvichu.
The Forum emphasized that the Oting massacre is not an isolated event but part of a historical pattern of violence and human rights violations against the Naga people, citing previous incidents such as the 1994 Mokokchung atrocities, the 1995 Kohima massacre, and the killings of students in Wuzu, among others.
It claimed that these incidents continue to haunt the Naga people.
“The Supreme Court’s decision to quash the FIRs in this case sends a disheartening message that justice will remain out of reach for the victims and their families,” the GNF stated.
The Naga people, having endured decades of oppression, they said, see this ruling as a direct affront to their pursuit of justice and accountability.
The Oting massacre was a blatant violation of human rights, and the dismissal of the prosecution plea undermines the credibility of the judicial process and erodes public trust in the rule of law, the forum stated.
The GNF urged the Nagaland government to immediately file a review petition with the Supreme Court.
The forum called on the court to reconsider its decision, highlighting the severe human rights violations that occurred during the Oting incident.
The state government must stand by the victims and their families, upholding its commitment to truth, justice, and the dignity of the Naga people, the forum stated.
The GNF further appealed to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), tribal apex bodies, human rights defenders, Naga political groups, and concerned citizens to unite in protest against the ruling.
The group reiterated that AFSPA has long been a tool of militarization and oppression in the Naga homeland and should be repealed.
It is crucial for all parties to raise their voices in solidarity, it added.
” The recent ruling is not only an attack on the victims of the Oting massacre but also on the collective rights of marginalized communities across India that continue to suffer under AFSPA’s oppressive regime,” the GNF said.
In the interest of peace, justice, and human dignity, the Global Naga Forum urged the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling.
ALSO READ: Nagaland: Supreme Court sets aside criminal proceedings against 30 Army personnel in Oting killings
The Forum also called on the Government of India to repeal AFSPA, stating that the outdated law has no place in a democratic society.
“The suffering of the Naga people has gone on for too long, and it is time for the State to engage in meaningful dialogue to achieve an Indo-Naga political settlement, rather than perpetuating cycles of violence and impunity. The Global Naga Forum stands with the victims and calls for collective action to ensure that the innocent lives lost in the Oting massacre are not forgotten and that justice prevails,” it said.
