The Naga students, women vigilantes and other activists have strongly condemned the mob violence resulting in the death of a rape accused on March 5 while the state and the central forces could not do much to rescue the accused. Accused of raping a Naga girl student hailing from Assam was lodged in the central jail in Dimapur.
Police on Sunday arrested at least 18 persons for the jail break and lynching. An emergency meeting of the students’ organisations was held on Sunday in Dimapur. Representatives of the students’ organisations of the Naga tribes like Ao, Chakesang, Lotha, Sumi, Angami, Rengmei, Pochury, Tangkhul and Zeliang were present in the meeting.
The meeting strongly condemned the March 5 incident. It resolved to exercise maximum restraint in attending any function or social gathering relating to the incident without prior notification or help check spreading rumours and upload unfounded reports in the social media as these may aggravate the situation. It also pledged to protect the non-Nagas staying in the state. The age old peaceful co-existence should continue and sought cooperation of other states in bringing back normality, peace and harmony.
The Naga Mothers' Association has also termed the incident as an act of “barbarism”. President Abei-U Maru and Secretary Lochumbin Huntsoe in a joint statement said that the Naga mothers shared the grief of the bereaved family. Underlining the need to maintain peace and harmony the Naga women also urged for restraint and not to issue provocative statements and spread rumours. They also urged the judicial inquiry commission to submit its report at the earliest. The fast tract courts should be re-established in all the 11 districts in Nagaland. The women also strongly condemned the rape of a 13-year-old Naga girl on March 3 in the Wokha district.
The Overseas Naga Association expressed its shock on the March 5 incident. While it condemns the rape it also does not approve the lynching of the accused person.
Meanwhile community leaders of non-Nagas staying in Nagaland told The Hindu on Monday that they are not harassed or threatened in any form as a result of the ongoing tension. They are living in all parts of the state in complete communal harmony as in the past.
