While the Western Sumi Youth Front does not condone any form of killing or violence nor does it envisage to interfere in the due process of law, however, the WYSF stands strongly against undue harrassment of innocent citizens by the government machineries. The arrest of four persons on suspicion in connection with the unfortunate March 22 2021,incident and their prolonged detention in the custody of the state machineries is of grave concern to the WSYF. It has been 20 days since the arrests were made and their detention till date merely on suspicion gives rise to doubts as to whether the police is victimising the innocent persons to quell any possible fallout on the law and order front from a particular side. A person is innocent until proven guilty by the Court of law and WSYF maintains this strong stand on the arrests made by SIT. The inability of the state police to nab the real culprits merely to define its efficiency by randomly arresting innocent citizens on mere suspicion is highly questionable as it amounts to undue harassment. Therefore, the WSYF demands immediate release of the arrested persons who are innocent. The WSYF will ensure that they report to the authorities as and when further interrogation is necessitated.
The WYSF views the present situation as an issue between two villages – Kiyevi and Lamhai village, falling in two different districts – Dimapur and Peren respectively at the border. The fact that the Lamhai Village Council gave illegal permit to outsiders to establish a village within Kiyevi land is being presented to the state government and accordingly press statements have been issued requesting the state government to settle the Kiyevi land encroachment issue at the earliest but no tangible action has been visible in this regard from the government side.
The government’s inability to enforce its own order and directive of maintaining status quo along the disputed area is viewed as an intentional act and partisan stand taken by the government to shelter encroachers and harrass the innocent public and their leaders. Some organizations have demanded the termination of post commander of 9th IRB Coy deployed in the disputed area from active service. However, such termination would amount to victimising the innocent police personnel for failure of the government to issue any proper directive to act upon. Merely deploying personnel at a disputed area without any clear-cut directive to them is akin to cosmetic procedures without working on the actual need. Therefore, we object to any such demand from any quarter. Rather, the state government should immediately evict all illegal settlers from the encroached area following its own order.
In connection with the border issue, the government is once again reminded of the killing of Late Khehoi Aye, Head GB of Khehoi village shot dead on 9th March 1984; Late Khunihe Shohe, Pastor, Shikuto village shot dead on 9th March 2001; and 2 persons shot dead at Inavi village in 2011.
The WSYF makes its stand loud and clear that failure to release the innocent citizens at the earliest, failure to resolve the boundary dispute by according top most priority, given the volatile situation and the government succumbing to undue pressure from certain quarters demanding termination of 9th IRB post commander from active service. The WSYF will be compelled to initiate summoning all its resources to take stringent steps, the fallout of which remains unpredictable but the responsibility would be shouldered by the state government.
The state government is reminded to act on Representation submitted by WSYF to CM through DC Dimapur on 1st April 2021.
Issued by,
Media Cell
Western Sumi Youth Front