Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Promoting impunity: on the 2021 Oting massacre case in Nagaland

Promoting impunity: on the 2021 Oting massacre case in Nagaland

Denial of nod to prosecute army men in Oting massacre (हत्याकांड, नरसंहार) is disconcerting

In denying sanction (प्रतिबंध, अनुमोदन) to the Nagaland police to prosecute (मुक़दमा करना) 30 Army men for the December 2021 killing of 13 civilians (non-military person, ordinary citizen) in a botched-up (relating to an act carrying something out badly or carelessly; making a mess of something, spoil, ruin) operation, the Union government has sent out a disconcerting (चिंताजनक) message that it is unable or unwilling (अनिच्छुक) to do anything about impunity in insurgency-hit (उग्रवाद प्रभावित) States. In what was later described as a case of mistaken (ग़लत, झूठा) identity (पहचान, मान्यता), six workers returning home in a vehicle from a coal mine bordering Assam were gunned down (shoot down, kill) by the security forces (troops; armed forces, soldiers) at Oting village in Mon district. Seven more villagers were shot dead later, following a scuffle (हाथापाई) with villagers who had found the bodies in an Army vehicle. Prior sanction to prosecute Army personnel (कार्मिक, कर्मचारी) is necessary under Section 6 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). A Special Investigation Team (विशेष जांच दल) of the Nagaland Police completed its probe in March 2022, and filed a charge sheet (आरोप पत्र) in the case. It had sought sanction for prosecution (अभियोग पक्ष, कानूनी कार्रवाई) from the Defence Ministry’s Department of Military Affairs (Department of Military Affairs (DMA) with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as Secretary was created to facilitate optimal utilization of resources and promote jointness among the three Services. Department of Military Affairs was created in December 2019). The police had claimed they had established (prove, demonstrate, confirm, verify) the involvement of 30 personnel, who allegedly (reportedly, supposedly, purportedly, ostensibly, apparently) violated standard operating procedures and rules of engagement (association, involvement, participation), and resorted to (use, adopt, utilize, employ, exercise, turn to) indiscriminate (thoughtless, unthinking, unconsidered, careless, aimless, foolish, mindless, ill considered) and disproportionate (unreasonable, unfair; inordinate, immoderate, excessive) firing on the vehicle. Meanwhile, the Army also ordered a court of inquiry, but its outcome is not known. On petitions by the wives of the Army personnel involved, the Supreme Court of India stayed (stop, delay, or prevent something temporarily (a judicial proceeding/trial through the order of a court)) the criminal proceedings (legal action, legal proceedings, lawsuit, case; trial, hearing) in July 2022.

The Centre has been quite keen on (enthusiastic about, interested in, passionate about, fascinated by) reducing the areas covered by the law giving special powers in disturbed areas to the armed forces. In recognition ((formal) acknowledgement, acceptance, understanding, realization) of the significant improvement in the security situation in the northeastern region, it has reduced the notified areas in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur in recent years. On the political side, it has been working towards peace accords and getting insurgents (rebel, agitator, subversive, guerrilla) and extremists (militant, radical, fanatic, hardliner) to lay down (put down) arms. However, it is quite incongruent (incompatible, conflicting, contradictory) with its overall policy of creating an atmosphere (climate, condition, feeling, attitude) conducive (good for, helpful for, useful for) for peace and development (progress, advancement, growth), and making partners out of those laying down weapons, for the government to disallow (reject, refuse, dismiss, say no to) the prosecution of those suspected to be involved in an admittedly (actually, truly, verily, indeed) mistaken counter-insurgency operation. It would have redounded (contribute to, result in, lead to, effect, have an effect on, affect) to the government’s credit (approval, acknowledgement, recognition, regard) had it allowed the criminal courts to decide on the extent (range, scope, reach, ambit) of culpability of the Army men. Prosecution of armed (equipped with firearms) forces personnel involved in excesses (uncontrolled behaviour; unrestricted conduct; extreme, violent actions which are unacceptable) is quite rare, leading to the widespread impression (understanding, feeling, discernment, judgement, recognition/realization; interpretation, perception) that AFSPA is used to promote impunity. The government must demonstrate its commitment to peace in the region and justice for the victims by either granting sanction for their prosecution, or taking exemplary (illustrative, indicative, paradigmatic,characteristic) action based on the findings (conclusion arrived at (as a result of an inquiry)) of the military court of inquiry.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.promote (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रोत्साहित करना, समर्थन करना
English Meaning - encourage, support, back, endorse.

2.massacre (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हत्याकांड, नरसंहार
English Meaning - carnage, mass murder, mass killing.

3.prosecute (verb)

Hindi Meaning - मुक़दमा करना
English Meaning - take to court, bring an action against, take legal action against, accuse, charge.

4.disconcerting (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - चिंताजनक
English Meaning - discomfiting, unsettling, disturbing, troubling.

5.sanction (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंध, अनुमोदन
English Meaning - approvals, permission, consent/assent, authorization.

6.unwilling (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अनिच्छुक
English Meaning - reluctant, hesitant, disinclined, unenthusiastic, apprehensive, unconfident, unsure, unassertive, restrained.

7.insurgency (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विद्रोह
English Meaning - uprising, revolt, rebellion.

8.insurgency-hit (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - उग्रवाद प्रभावित
English Meaning - affected badly by rebellion/revolt.

9.mistaken (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - ग़लत, झूठा
English Meaning - wrong, false, erroneous, misunderstood.

10.identity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पहचान, मान्यता
English Meaning - recognition, identification,

11.scuffle (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हाथापाई
English Meaning - tussle , fight, struggle, skirmish, clash, quarrel, squabble, contention.

12.personnel (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्मिक, कर्मचारी
English Meaning - staff, employees, workforce.

13.Special Investigation Team (SIT) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विशेष जांच दल
English Meaning - a specialized team of officers in Indian law enforcement consisting of personnel trained to investigate serious crimes.

14.charge sheet (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप पत्र
English Meaning - an official document on which a police officer enters details of the charge against a person.

15.prosecution (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभियोग पक्ष, कानूनी कार्रवाई
English Meaning - legal action, legal proceeding, legal case.

16.impunity (noun)

English Meaning - exemption from punishment, freedom from punishment, immunity, indemnity, non-liability.

17.nod (noun)

English Meaning - indication, signal, sign (of approval).

18.civilian (noun)

English Meaning - non-military person, ordinary citizen.

19.botched-up (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to an act carrying something out badly or carelessly; making a mess of something, spoil, ruin.

20.send out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - give out, announce, issue, deliver.

21.hit (verb)

English Meaning - affect badly, damage, ruin.

22.gun down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - shoot down, kill.

23.forces (noun)

English Meaning - troops; armed forces, soldiers.

24.Section 6 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) (noun)

English Meaning - it deals with “Protection to persons acting under Act”. No prosecution, suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government, against any person in respect of anything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act.

25.Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, (AFSPA), 1958 (noun)

English Meaning - In simple terms, Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) gives armed forces the power to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”. They have the authority to prohibit a gathering of five or more persons in an area, can use force or even open fire after giving due warning if they feel a person is in contravention of the law. If reasonable suspicion exists, the army can also arrest a person without a warrant; enter or search a premises without a warrant; and ban the possession of firearms.

26.seek (verb)

English Meaning - request, ask for, appeal for.

27.Department of Military Affairs (DMA) (noun)

English Meaning - Department of Military Affairs (DMA) with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as Secretary was created to facilitate optimal utilization of resources and promote jointness among the three Services. Department of Military Affairs was created in December 2019.

28.establish (verb)

English Meaning - prove, demonstrate, confirm, verify.

29.allegedly (adverb)

English Meaning - reportedly, supposedly, purportedly, ostensibly, apparently.

30.violate (verb)

English Meaning - contravene, breach, infringe, break, disobey, defy, flout.

31.standard operating procedure/protocol (SOP) (noun)

English Meaning - a detailed, written document consisting of step-by-step information on routine activities necessary to complete tasks in accordance with specific regulations or standards.

32.engagement (noun)

English Meaning - association, involvement, participation.

33.resort to (verb)

English Meaning - use, adopt, utilize, employ, exercise, turn to.

34.indiscriminate (adjective)

English Meaning - thoughtless, unthinking, unconsidered, careless, aimless, foolish, mindless, ill considered.

35.disproportionate (adjective)

English Meaning - unreasonable, unfair; inordinate, immoderate, excessive.

36.court of inquiry (noun)

English Meaning - a tribunal (officially appointed to investigate a serious accident or incident).

37.stay (verb)

English Meaning - stop, delay, or prevent something temporarily (a judicial proceeding/trial through the order of a court).

38.stay (order) (noun)

English Meaning - it is defined as the act of temporarily stopping or postponing any judicial proceeding through the court or legal authorities in India, in order to secure the rights of a citizen.

39.proceeding (noun)

English Meaning - legal action, legal proceedings, lawsuit, case; trial, hearing.

40.keen on (adjective)

English Meaning - enthusiastic about, interested in, passionate about, fascinated by.

41.recognition (noun)

English Meaning - (formal) acknowledgement, acceptance, understanding, realization.

42.accord (noun)

English Meaning - agreement, settlement, treaty, deal; consensus.

43.insurgent (noun)

English Meaning - rebel, agitator, subversive, guerrilla.

44.extremist (noun)

English Meaning - militant, radical, fanatic, hardliner.

45.lay down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - put down.

46.arms (noun)

English Meaning - weapons of war, weaponry, firearms, guns, artillery, armaments.

47.incongruent (adjective)

English Meaning - incompatible, conflicting, contradictory.

48.findings (noun)

English Meaning - conclusion arrived at (as a result of an inquiry).

49.atmosphere (noun)

English Meaning - climate, condition, feeling, attitude.

50.conducive (adjective)

English Meaning - good for, helpful for, useful for.

51.development (noun)

English Meaning - progress, advancement, growth.

52.disallow (verb)

English Meaning - reject, refuse, dismiss, say no to.

53.admittedly (adverb)

English Meaning - actually, truly, verily, indeed.

54.counter-insurgency (COIN) (noun)

English Meaning - comprehensive political and military efforts taken to simultaneously defeat and contain insurgency/revolt (activities of rebels, guerrillas, etc.) and address its root causes.

55.redound (verb)

English Meaning - contribute to, result in, lead to, effect, have an effect on, affect.

56.credit (noun)

English Meaning - approval, acknowledgement, recognition, regard.

57.extent (noun)

English Meaning - range, scope, reach, ambit.

58.culpability (noun)

English Meaning - guilt, blame/fault; responsibility.

59.armed (adjective)

English Meaning - equipped with firearms.

60.excesses (noun)

English Meaning - uncontrolled behaviour; unrestricted conduct; extreme, violent actions which are unacceptable.