35th Remembrance Day of 'Operation Bluebird' of 1987 held
Source: Chronicle News Service

Senapati, July 10 2022: The 35th Remembrance Day of the infamous Operation Bluebird of 1987 was held at Khongdei Khuman village on Saturday.

The event organised by Poumai Naga Union (PNU) under the aegis of Naga People's Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) was attended by Neingulo Krome, secretary general NPMHR, as guest of honour.

"Memories re-living" displayed by the villagers, depicting how Assam Rifles destroyed Naga houses and churches; how Indian army tortured and killed many innocent and poor Naga villagers; how Indian army buried Nagas alive and left to die a slow dead; and how Indian army raped Naga women, moved everyone to tears at the beginning of the event.

In his keynote address, PNU president D Dailord Pao stated that the day was observed to fight against injustice and to renounce violence.

He said that although decades have passed since the incident, but this cruellest experience remains in the minds of Poumai people in particular and Nagas in general.

The PNU president then narrated how civil rights had been violated and how elders and leaders had suffered for the people as he called for commitment to fight against injustice.

NPMHR (South) convenor Joyson Mazamo, in his "Denial of Justice" statement mentioned that Operation Bluebird of 1987 left a trail of destructions and mayhem unimaginable and stated that the NPMHR with the support of many likeminded individuals and organisations who believe in the rule of law filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Gauhati High Court on behalf of Oinam and other affected villages.

The petition before the court amongst others sought action against the Indian security forces for murder, man slaughter, infliction of grievous injuries, rape and sexual harassment, arson, looting and theft, wanton destructions of public & private properties including school buildings, illegal evictions, raids & seizures, illegal detentions, arrests & forced labour and desecration of religious places, etc.

These incidents were documented and placed before the court and due process for final hearing has been initiated, Joyson further informed.

Meanwhile, in his solidarity message, GPRN/NSCN ato kilonser Th Muivah, extended revolutionary salute to all victims, families, people of Oinam Hill village and surrounding villages who faced one of the most brutal and cowardly acts ever meted to the Naga people during the infamous "Operation Bluebird" launched by the Indian armed forces.

Th Muivah said that India and its celebrated judiciary refused to acknowledge the Naga people screaming blue murder.

With or without justice from the Indian judiciary, he believes, the incident stands as a landmark to the unimaginable atrocities that have been rampantly executed against the innocent Nagas.

The Ato Kilonser called the July 9, 1987 a victory day for the Naga people that exhibited the resilience of the Naga people in refusing to submit to the Indian forces, adding that the sufferings and toils of the villagers will never go in vain and the supreme sacrifices of the martyrs will be honoured by upholding the Naga national principle.

Khongdei Khuman villagers and survivors of the Operation Bluebird from Oinam Hill village narrated their painful ordeal during the event.

Neingulo Krome, secretary general NP-MHR, informed that it had filed a petition to the Supreme Court of India for all the human sufferings in Nagaland and Naga areas, elaborating that there are cases of rapes, murders, maimed for life, tortures and bodies of many that have not been found to date.

The testimonies of the Operation Bluebird victims reported and recorded in 10,000 pages are still waiting to be heard for justice.

In 1995, PV Narashimha Rao, the then Prime Minister of India, held talks with Naga leaders and that's how ceasefire came in 1997.Even during the ceasefire, hundreds of Nagas were killed.

So many Oinam Hill related incidents were recorded in the past describing that there was no Naga family who had not faced the brunt of the Indian army.

The human rights activist had reportedly spoken at different global seminars and programmes in the past about stories of Nagas in India, telling how their rights were violated in different ways even before India's independence.

Solidarity messages from Naga Hoho, NSF, UNC, NWU, ANSAM, NPO and SDWA were also read out during event.

Apart from different CSO leaders, village chairmen and secretaries, women chairpersons and secretaries and youth leaders attended the programme.

Comment