AMSU, AIMS, DESAM, KSA, MSF, and SUK, ATSUM, and DAMMS, condemned the massacre of at least 15 civilians by Indian security forces in Mon district of Nagaland on December 4. NESO announced that the umbrella student body will be organising programmes in all the state capitals of all the Northeastern states on December 9, 2021 as a mark of protest against the Oting massacre.
TFM Desk
Student bodies continue to condemn the Oting massacre, in which Indian security forces killed at least 13 in a counter-insurgency operation that went horribly wrong on December 4, at Mon district of Nagaland, and the aftermath of the incident.
Six major student bodies of Manipur — AMSU, AIMS, DESAM, KSA, MSF, and SUK — called upon the people of the state, irrespective of which tribe or community one belongs to, to join the movement to repeal AFSPA, 1958.
“The six student bodies take the recent killings in Nagaland very seriously and steps should be taken not to repeat such incidents,” stated a joint release on Monday.
The six student bodies said that they stand with the Naga brethrens, and shared the grief of the families of the victims of Oting massacre.
As AFSPA has been imposed in the Northeast region for a long time, it enables the Indian security forces to carry out such killings with impunity, it asserted.
While stating that security forces can shoot anyone for mere suspicion, the student bodies said that under the garb of AFSPA, many unarmed civilians have been killed and maimed, and women have been raped and tortured. Due to the “psychological threat” AFSPA has created amongst the general public, the region has not been able to dream for a developed future, it added.
Several CSOs and student bodies of the state have been agitating to repeal the draconian Act, and continue to do so, it added.
Recalling Pebam Chittaranjan Mangang, who self-immolated himself in protest to repeal AFSPA on August 14, 2005, the student bodies lamented that his “sacrifice” has been forgotten. The six student bodies continue to stand by the ideals of Chittaranjan and will continue to work to realise his dream, it asserted.
On the other hand, the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) condemned the “atrocious crime” perpetrated by the Indian Armed Forces upon the Konyak Naga civilians on December 4, 2021 at Oting, Mon District, Nagaland wherein 15 innocent lives were “cold-bloodedly” killed and many others injured.
The brutal act of the security forces reveals the heinous agenda of the Indian government to continue suppression and militarisation of the peace loving people of the Northeastern states under the imposed inhuman Act of AFSPA, ATSUM said in a release on Monday.
“This monstrous act of Indian Armed Forces echoes waves of anguish, shock and fear across people of Northeast as memories of killing, rape and torture is still fresh, lingering in the minds of people. The perpetual act of militarising the northeastern people, with impunity under the draconian Act of AFSPA is rather alienating people of the region than maintaining law and order.”
While recalling how many innocent civilian lives have been lost due to this brute colonial law, ATSUM said that it is apprehensive that tragedy and reprehension will continue to exist unless AFSPA is completely repealed from the entire NE states of India. Therefore, AFSPA, which has been used as an “object of hate and oppression” by the security forces, should be repealed without further justification, it argued.
“At this sorrowful time, ATSUM shares the grief and pain of Naga people. ATSUM extended heartfelt condolences to bereaved families and prayed for speedy recovery of injured individuals.”
Delhi Association of Manipur Muslim Students also strongly condemned the massacre of innocent mine workers in Oting Village under Mon district, Nagaland by the Indian security forces.
“Down the decades, countless innocent lives have been discriminated against, terminated, and subjected to by the draconian law of AFSPA 1958 and Disturbed Area Act-DAA imposed by the Government of India to the Northeast region. This totally violates the human rights of Northeast people, and it is a crime against humanity,” stated a release by the student body.
DAMMS also extended solidarity and said that it strongly stands for the democratic right of the northeast people.
Demanding the Government of India and Government of Nagaland to look into the matter seriously, the student body asserted that all the responsible officials and personnel should be terminated immediately and justice should be served at the earliest to the bereaved families.
DAMMS also appealed to all the students’ body and CSOs of the Northeast to stand against all types of tyranny.
Stating that it is high time to stand against this draconian law, DAMMS demanded redressal for the historical injustice meted out against the Northeast people by the Indian government.
Meanwhile, the North East Students Organisation (NESO) announced that the umbrella student body will be organising programmes in all the state capitals of all the Northeastern states on December 9, 2021 as a mark of protest against the Oting massacre, and also to show solidarity with the people of Oting village in particular and the people of Nagaland in general who are going through this heart stricken grief.
NESO — which comprises of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF), Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU) and All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) — also reiterated that the Government of India should show its willingness and sincerity for peace to prevail in Northeast by repealing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 (AFSPA),”Otherwise it will only be seen as an act of aggression and suppression of the voice of the people by using the military power at their disposal without a concern for the well being of the people of the region,” NESO said in a release.