Naga protesters seek apology from Shah for 'misleading' statement

Konyak Union, a tribal body in Nagaland, on Saturday demanded apology from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and retraction of his 'misleading' statement in Parliament, while rejecting the term 'mistaken identity' and that the forces had opened fire on civilians in 'self-defence'.

Shah had earlier said in Parliament that six civilians mistaken as insurgents were killed by security forces on December 4 after the pick-up truck they were traveling in did not stop when signalled to, and later seven more people were killed after forces opened fire in self-defence when they were attacked by a mob near Oting village in Mon district.

An uneasy calm prevailed in Mon district as the Konyak tribe entered the sixth day of mourning.

The union threatened to take their agitation beyond the district and the state if their demand for repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and justice in the killing was not heeded by the end of the mourning period on December 13.

Konyak Union spokesperson T Yanlem said that there was no question of acting in 'self-defence' because those killed were unarmed civilians.

'The 21 Para commandos, an elite force, did a blunder without asserting anything. They killed six young boys, they were innocent villagers returning home,' he said.

The union's another spokesperson Yingphe Konyak said that Shah's 'misleading statement' in the Parliament was 'shameful'.

'AFSPA is a law of torture, rape and killing. Stop treating Nagas and the Northeast as the fourth gender. The entire episode can't be forgiven on the pretext of mistaken identity.

'How can Union Home Minister Amit Shah give such a statement without checking the facts? How can he be so wrong?' she said, adding that he owes an apology to Konyaks and people of Nagaland.