The Mokokchung Incident: 27th December, 1994

The day was 27th December 1994, just one day following the Chief of Indian Army, Gen.Shankar Roy’s visit to Kohima to “discuss the law and order problem in Nagaland” with the incumbent Chief Minister of Nagaland, SC Jamir. At around 10:20 AM, a few rounds of gunfire was heard in the heart of Mokokchung town, and in no time the whole town was rendered into a horrid atmosphere deafening the entire town with the sound of heavy automatic gunfire and artillery which lasted for about two hours. Regarded as “an unforgettable action of genocide committed by the Indian Army during the last 60 years of its unholy crusade against the Nagas,” the woes of December 27, 1994 still run deep in the memory of the Nagas. A prominent citizen of Mokokchung town, M.Bendangnukshi Longkumer, who was appointed by Ao Senden then as a ‘One man Committee’ to “go to Delhi” following the incident says “it cannot be forgiven or forgotten.” Longkumer met the National Human Rights Commission in Delhi and was responsible for securing an “assistance” of Rs.1 crore from the Indian government.
President of Ao Senden, Lendinokdang, regards it as a “dark moment in the history of Naga people.” He says Naga people must remain “very vigilant” that such incidents do not occur in the future and at the same time work for peace. Memories of the past reminds the people of the days they have lived through, he says, and believes that they must prepare to face the future.
The Ao Students Conference is also preparing to erect a monument in the town in remembrance of the incident that happened on December 27 fifteen years ago.
The curiosity of the people about the outcome of the General’s visit had been almost overshadowed by the festive mood. Christmas had just concluded, celebration of the New Year was only a few days away with lots of wedding occasions in between. This is the most crowded season of the year in Mokokchung.
Initially, it was supposedly an exchange of gunfire between Naga underground cadres and the Indian Army. However, as the gunfire prolonged, the story appeared to be more than just an exchange of fire between the two sides. Following this, the 16 Maratha Light Infantry (MLI) of the Indian Army carried out an appalling act of atrocity which was unmistakably and systematically engineered. This crime of genocide committed by the Indian armed forces caused untold suffering to the Naga civil population, which left 89 shops, 48 houses, 17 vehicles and 7 two wheelers razed to ashes, excluding those destroyed by gunfire and shelling. 7 civilians were gunned down, another 5 burned alive including a child, and more than a dozen gone missing.
As the shooting started, the army cordoned off the civilians who were in and around the main shopping area of the town, near the main traffic point. While the women and children were made to crawl towards the open space of the traffic island, men folk were systematically tortured. Several cases of rape were also reported. Earlier, the telephones in the town had all been mysteriously dead from around seven in the morning. None suspected it to be a case of sabotage for the mayhem, which was out of human imagination that was to follow a few hours later. Sections of the local intelligentsia believed that this heinous action of the Indian Army was systematically premeditated, as this ‘mission’ was conducted immediately following the Indian Army Chief’s visit to Nagaland and the 16 MLI convoying from their cantonment at Changki village located 45 kilometers away from Mokokchung town, ably assisted by the 10 Assam Rifles. Not surprisingly, the Indian media did not do justice to this incident as not an instance of this incident went reported.
Col. Malik, the Commanding officer of the 16 MLI on January 3, 1995 admitted to the public of Mokokchung that they were guilty of their 27th December massacre.

Debris of gutted building

a victim being nursed by Red Cross volunteers

a building that was brought down to the ground after a mortar launched by the Indian army hit it

Charred remains of a victim

a number of vehicles and buildings were razed down to ashes on the fateful day