Kohima, April 7 (MExN): The Naga Students' Federation (NSF) has “outrightly condemned” a recent incident involving the “brutal physical assault, death threat and extortion” of two Naga individuals from Tseminyu district in Manipur.
In a condemnation issued on April 7, the Federation expressed its “unequivocal outrage” over the incident, which occurred in the early hours of March 23 between Keithelmanbi and Sapermeina under Kangpokpi district. The victims, it stated, were “bonafide members of the Naga community” engaged in “legitimate livelihood activities.”
The NSF said it has taken “grave note of this disturbing pattern of recurring acts of intimidation and violence inflicted upon innocent Nagas,” adding that such incidents “highlight the persistent harassment faced by common Naga citizens, particularly those who depend on daily trade and movement across regions for survival.”
“It must be emphatically stated that Nagas across the Naga homeland have always upheld the values of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among all communities,” the Federation stated. However, it said that “these cowardly acts of violence and lawlessness have once again challenged the above principles and now threatens to erode the fragile fabric of coexistence in the region.”
The Federation conveyed that it stands “in firm solidarity with the victims of this heinous act” and extended its “unwavering support and solidarity” to the Rengma Students' Union (RSU) for its stand in defending the rights and dignity of its members.
“Lest our effort for peace in the region is misconstrued as weakness,” the NSF stated that it has taken “due cognizance of the incident and the death threat meted upon the two victims as a direct challenge to the Naga peoples' resilience towards harmony.” In this regard, the Federation demanded that the authorities “take immediate and decisive action to identify, apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators involved without further ado.” It further called on the authorities to “initiate concrete measures to ensure the safety and security of all civilians and prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.”
Issuing a warning, the NSF stated that “failure on the part of the authorities to deliver justice and to institute effective safeguards will compel NSF to initiate strong counter measures in defense of the rights, dignity and security of the Naga people.” The Federation reiterated that “such acts of criminality will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and that justice must be served befittingly.”
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