Special Correspondent
Ukhrul /Senapati, July 9:
A solemn and emotionally charged commemoration of the 37th anniversary of the infamous Operation Bluebird was held today at the Maram Union Secretariat Complex in Tahamzan (Senapati), Manipur. The event marked the dark day of July 9, 1987, when the Indian Army’s counter-insurgency operation turned into what many regard as one of the worst cases of state-sponsored human rights violations in Northeast India.
Organised by the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and hosted by the Paomei Naha Union (PNU), the gathering was attended by key Naga organisations including the United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Naga Women Union (NWU), Naga Peoples Organisation (NPO), ANSAM, PNTM, apex Naga tribal bodies, and well-wishers from across Naga districts.
Former NSF General Secretary Eno. Siipuno Ng. Philo revisited the trauma of what he called the “Great Battle of Oinam”. He narrated in chilling detail how, in the early morning of July 9, 1987, personnel of the Assam Rifles descended upon Oinam village and over 30 surrounding villages with sweeping brutality after insurgents of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) attacked an Assam Rifles outpost, killing nine soldiers and looting arms.
Under the pretext of recovering the stolen weapons, Operation Bluebird unleashed an unprecedented reign of terror. According to testimonies shared, 27 civilians were killed, 3 women raped, 5 others sexually molested, and 2 women were forced to give birth in full public view. Additionally, 340 villagers were tortured, 96 arbitrarily arrested and detained for weeks, 125 houses burned, 172 dismantled, 10 churches desecrated, and 6 schools destroyed.
Eno.Neingulo Krome Secretary General of NPMHR, described the operation as “a calculated and systemic assault on the civilian population”. He emphasized that even journalists were denied access to the area and that the region was placed under virtual lockdown for over three months, with even the then Chief Minister of Manipur prevented from entering the villages.
“This brutality is what gave birth to the NPMHR — as a cry for justice and a stand for the dignity of the Naga people,” Khromr declared, reminding the gathering that Operation Bluebird was not just an isolated military crackdown but a historical wound that continues to fester.
The operation, carried out under the draconian provisions of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), has since become a case study in extrajudicial killings, torture, and impunity. Although numerous appeals and petitions were made — including by the Human Rights Forum for the Northeast (HRFNE) — no judicial or parliamentary inquiry was ever completed, leaving the victims without justice to this day.
A message of solidarity echoed from various speakers who condemned the continued application of AFSPA in the region and reiterated the demand for accountability and truth. “Even after 37 years, we continue to remember not just the pain, but also the resilience of our people,” said one speaker from the Naga Women Union.
The event also includes giving tribute and moments of silence, and renewed calls for the recognition of the massacre as a crime against humanity. Civil society representatives resolved to continue seeking justice through national and international human rights platforms, reaffirming the spirit behind the commemoration: “Lest We Forget.”
As the voices of the Oinam victims continue to echo through the hills of Senapati and beyond, today’s gathering served as a grim reminder of the unfinished journey towards truth, healing, and justice in Manipur’s troubled history.
