8 groups withdraw from Hornbill Fest

GUWAHATI , Dec 5: At least eight groups in Nagaland have decided to withdraw from the annual Hornbill Festival which is going on at Kisama near State capital Kohima protesting the killing of civilians in Mon district.
Expressing strong resentment over the incident, the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), which represents six tribes, has decided to abstain from the festival against bloodshed in its area.
ENPO requested all the six tribes under the outfit to abstain from participation in the festival with immediate effect.
It also asked the six tribes to hoist black flags in all their morungs at the festival venue. “How can we dance at the festival when our people are getting killed?” asked an ENPO leader? The Morungs of Konyak, Chang, Phom, Khiamniungan, Yimkhiung & Sangtam tribes have already been closed down at Hornbill Festival in Kisama.
Lotha Hoho and Sumi Hoho have also condemned the killing of innocent civilians by security forces and decided to abstain from participation in the ongoing festival till further notice. Sumi Hoho in a statement asked all Sumi individuals and groups to skip participating in the festival. NE Now