Horrors of 'Operation Bluebird' recalled at Senapati village
Source: Chronicle News Service

Senapati, July 09 2023: POUMai Naga Union (PNU) and Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) jointly observed the 36th Remembrance Day of the infamous Operation Bluebird, Oinam incident of 1987 at Asufii auditorium in Punanamei (Mao) village of Senapati district on Sunday.

Giving a recap of 'Operation Bluebird', NPMHR (South) con-vener Joyson Mazhamo said fol-lowing the attack on the Assam Rifles outpost at Oinam Hill village, Senapati district on July 9 in 1987, the Indian armed forces launched the infamous 'Operation Bluebird' to recover the looted arms and ammunition.

The operation virtu-ally turned Oinam Hill and more than 30 villages in its vicinity into concentration camps and prisons.

Many women were physically and sexually abused while 27 persons were killed and hundreds severely tortured with many of them subse-quently succumbing.

Horrors of 'Operation Bluebird' recalled at Senapati village

It remains as one of the most brutal and horrific cases of systematic violation of human rights committed by Indian security forces.

Despite immense pressure and threat to their personal safety, members of the NPMHR filed a Public Interest Litigation at Gauhati High Court on behalf of the people of Oinam Hill and its surrounding villages on October 5, 1987 seeking among others action against Indian security forces for murder, manslaughter, infliction of grievous injuries, rape and sex-ual harassment, arson, looting and theft, wanton destruction of public and private properties including school buildings, illegal evictions, raids and seizures, illegal deten-tions, arrests and forced labour, desecration of religious places, etc.

These incidents were documented and placed before the court and due process for final hearing has also been initiated.

However, in 1992, the two judges appointed to deliver the verdict were hastily transferred and the case remains pending till date.

Due to persistent persecution against human rights workers, ever shrinking democratic space, disillusionment with the justice delivery system and shortage of financial resources have report-edly discouraged to pursue the case till date.

However, with great difficulties, the PIL petition has been recalled in November, 2018 at the High Court of Manipur in Imphal and the same court di-rected the home secretary, Gov-ernment of Manipur to set up an 'Enquiry Committee' within three months' time to look into the matter in its order of June 13, 2019, Joyson Mazhamo said add-ing that NPMHR is conscious of the need for ensuring that justice is delivered to the victims and a grim situation of such nature and magnitude is not repeated anywhere in the future.

Giving the victim's story, ex-chairman of Oinam Hill vil-lage Ngulani said that details of the incident cannot be completely narrated in just 2-3 hours' time but would take more than one month to narrate all the pains the villagers had undergone.

All of a sudden without the knowledge of any vil-lager, the Assam Rifles outpost at Oinam Hill village was attacked at mid noon of July 9, 1987.Hearing the sound of the gun shots, all villagers returned home from their fields as security forces from outside filled the village within short time and called out the resi-dents to gather at the village ground.

Torture, harassment, infliction of grievous injuries, manslaughter and murder followed in the village and its vicinity, he recalled and urged all Nagas to unite and fight together till justice is delivered.

NPMHR general secretary Neingulo Krome, in his tribute and speech, stated that Oinam incident was not an isolated one as many such incidents occurred at different places where women were raped, forced to give birth in public view and everyone felt the pain in the heart.

Every time the Oinam incident is observed, people are reminded of many such incidents.

While we talk about Oinam incident, Oting incident happened just two years ago.

God has created the Nagas as a separate and distinct people, a nation of their own which has been denied by op-pressors.

The Britishers in the guise of giving merchandise have imprisoned the people.

The consequences of people who come as a friend like the Assam Rifles who called them-selves as 'Friends of the Hill' have been experiencing the brunt by the people, he added.

About the Indo-Naga polit-ical issue, the NPMHR leader stated that the Government of India offered Bhutan-like status to the Nagas during the initial year of negotiations when ceasefire came in 1997 and negotiations started.

Naga leaders promptly declined the proposal claiming to have Naga status alone and not any other similar status.

Later on, Sami model was also offered but Na-gas already have Sami model.

Issues like flag and constitution have cropped up which were non-issue when the agreement was signed that has become a sticking point, he added.

A moment of silence was observed by all participants in honour of the victims at the beginning of the programme.

Leaders and representatives of UNC, NWU, ANSAM, NPO, SDSA and federating units, SDWA, Tribe Hohos, Oinam Hill village authority and oth-ers participated at the pro-gramme.