Nagaland: 'Konyak Union' Top tribal body declares day-long bandh in Mon and 7-days mourning

The main tribal organisation in Nagaland's Mon district, the Konyak Union (KU), imposed a day-long bandh on Tuesday to condemn the killing of 14 civilians by security personnel and set a seven-day mourning period starting the next day.

The KU has advised security troops to refrain from patrolling the Konyak region during the seven-day mourning period, warning that if they do not, they will be held accountable for "any unpleasant incident that may occur."

The union asked President Ram Nath Kovind to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which would include two members of the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO), to identify the Army officers engaged in the incident and make the actions taken against them public within 30 days.

It asked that the 27 Assam Rifles leave Mon immediately for failing to safeguard residents, as well as the removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from the whole Northeast.

"We have imposed a day-long bandh in Mon district on Tuesday. It is going on peacefully. We have also announced seven-day mourning from Wednesday," Konyak Union president Howing Konyak said.

On Monday, the 14 people killed in security forces' firing on the 4th and 5th of December were laid to rest in the Mon district headquarters. The occasion was attended by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, his cabinet colleagues, and leaders from many indigenous organisations.

When asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement in Parliament, Konyak said, "At the moment, we are not in a condition to accept or reject his statement. We are saddened by the brutal killing of our people. What actually happened will only be known after the two survivors who are being treated in Assam regain consciousness."

The union said that the incident seemed to be a result of "complete failure of military intelligence" and "cannot be termed as a case of mistaken identity at all". "The slain people were villagers with no connection to any element that may cause the slightest concern to security forces or national security in any respect," the KU stated.

"This is an act of atrocity beyond reasoning. No explanation can justify this heinous act of deliberate crime against humanity," it added. The union said that the perpetrators up to the highest rank be booked and tried at a civil court.