Oinam Hill village in Manipur is famously known for the infamous ‘Operation Blue Bird’ of 1987. It was a nightmare that occurred in broad daylight. A nightmare that did not occur in dreamland but at Oinamland. The Operation was a hellish experience for the victims, a horrific drama for the eyewitnesses, a melancholic melody for singers, a tragic novel for writers, an elegiac poem for poets, a sad story for the listeners, and shocking news to the world.July 9, 1987, at noon, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) came to attack the camp of the Assam Rifles located at Oinam Hill village. They surrounded the village, took their position, took the aim, pulled their triggers; the bullets hit the soldiers, the soldiers hit the ground, and then all hell broke loose. Nine soldiers were killed and three were critically injured. Then, the NSCN raided their camp, took their arms and ammunitions, made the villagers, teachers, and students carry the captured weapons, and vanished into the jungle.An image of a village in Manipur. For representation only. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons.One day later, the villagers were summoned, herded to the ground, young and old, big and small, dark and fair, male and female. Then came the ‘question hour’. One day prior, the NSCN fired at the army with guns, and the next, the Assam Rifles fired at villagers.What can villagers say to the army? For they were communicating in the language of Babel. Neither did the armies understand what the villagers said nor did the villagers understand what the armies said. Then they played a blame-game. Villagers were blamed, becoming scapegoats; retaliation was launched against the village folks and not to the attackers.for more info visit www.youthkiawa...
11 сен 2024
