Mookhep firing: Week’s deadline to govt

SHILLONG, FEB 9: Five ngos from Jaintia hills have served a week’s deadline to the Mukul Sangma led Congress coalition government to make public the report of the magisterial inquiry that probed the September 24-2014 Mookhep firing t killing at least two civilians failing which they gave threatened to launch an indefinite strike.

The ngos also said that if the state government fails to punish those found guilty, especially if it involves the police or magistrate, it will demand a CBI inauiry.

“We demand the government to make public the report of the magisterial inquiry immediately within a period of seven days from today,” said Ri Jaintia Youth Federation (RJYF) president RK Rymbai. RJYF is one of the five ngos who addressed a news conference on Monday.

Rymbai said the ngos would be compelled to announce an indefinite strikes if the government fails to respond to their demands.

The magisterial inquiry headed by the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of West Jaintia hills SS Syiemlieh which was constituted on the day of the incident (September 24), was directed by the government to submit its report within a period of 30 days which expired on   October 30, 2014.

However, later the state government gave 10 days extension to the magisterial inquiry to complete its inquiry into the firing. The extension ended on November 11.

Two civilians S Phawa and D Siangshai were shot dead while several others were injured during the firing incident at Mookhep village which took place during the economic blockade called by the MIPRL to protest against the NGT ban on coal mining in Meghalaya.

“We did welcome the magisterial inquiry instituted by the government and we did have patience when extension was granted. But unfortunately till today, the government choose to keep the people in the dark on the findings of the inquiry report,” HANM-Jaintia hills president Shaniah Suchen said.

Stating that the ngos strongly suspects that the government is trying to hide something from the public by delaying to make public the inquiry report, Suchen said, “This have forced us to believe that the government is trying to protect the culprits who are directly involved in the incident.”

According to Suchen, one of the main demands put forth by the ngos is that if the inquiry report found any police or magistrate involved in the firing incident, they should immediately be terminated and book under the sections of the Arms Act.

But  Suchen added that if the report of the magisterial inquiry fails to pin point the culprits involved in the killing of the civilians the demand is for the government to handover the investigation to the CBI to ensure free and fair inquiry.

Suchen revealed that the state home minister Roshan Warjri had assured the delegation that met her last year that she would direct for a CBI probe if the magisterial inquiry does not point out the culprits responsible for the firing.- By Our Reporter