All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) in collaboration with the Senapati District Students Association (SDSA) organised a candlelight vigil on Sunday at Traffic Point, Senapati bazaar which was held under the aegis of the Naga Students Federation (NSF).

The vigil was held to show solidarity with and pay homage to the victims of the tragic killings on 4 and 5 December 2021 in Oting village, Mon district, Nagaland where 14 innocent Naga civilians were killed by Indian security forces.

Speaking at the gathering, Asha Wungnam, Naga Women’s Union (NWU) president, stated that the gathering was not of happiness or joy but to denounce the merciless killings perpetrated by the Indian Armed forces as well as the shedding of tears from the family members of the ill-fated victims on this day the previous year.

“We have forgiven but not forgotten the incident,” asserted the NWU president.

Wungnam further mentioned that the supreme sacrifices made by the victims would be handed down to the younger generations, adding that their sacrifices would never go in vain. She said she prays to let their souls rest in peace.

A C Thotso, General Secretary, All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) stated that it was on this day in 2021 where the promising youths from Konyak tribe in Oting village, Nagaland were massacred by Indian Security Forces.

The student leader paid the highest respect, honour and homage to the departed souls as well as to all the brothers/youths who were maimed and mangled in the terror unleashed by the Indian Security Forces the previous year.

Thotso also stated that they are aghast by the wilful delaying of justice to the victims by the Government of India (GoI) and expressed resentment towards the GoI for the indifferent attitude towards the voices of the Naga people from across the land, demanding for repeal of the draconian law of AFSPA, 1958. The student leader sought to “give peace a chance.”

A one-minute silent prayer was offered in remembrance of the ill-fated victims of Oting at the later part of the programme.

A candlelight vigil was also organised at Karong bazaar by the Poumai Naga Students Union (PNTM). A one-minute silent prayer was offered by the gathering to the victims of the incident which was led by Rev R L Tennyson, Pastor, Khabung Karong Baptist Church.

ANSAM also sent out a press release, in which it stated: “We offer our highest honour and paid homage to all the departed souls. Our heart also goes out to all the youth of Konyak Naga who had suffered maimed and mangled during the dreadful terror tragedy unleashed by Indian state forces.”

“Nagas are peace lover and had been living in peace in its own system since time immemorial but problem arises only when the Indian occupation came about in our land,” it mentioned.

The release stated that imposition of “a Draconian law the so called AFSPA” and the tag of “disturbed areas” has breached the peaceful atmosphere in the villages. It also said the “Promulgation of AFSPA, 1958 in the North eastern state is the mother of all adversity resulting with Army atrocities against the innocent public in the region repeatedly.”

ANSAM further stated that the “belligerent and atrocious conduct of the State agencies itself is contrary to the spirit of the ongoing Indo-Naga ceasefire and the ongoing peace talks.”

It reminded the GoI that recognising the Naga issue as political in nature by the Indian government paved the way for negotiations, with political talks that lasted more than two decades.

The student body stated that it prayed for the “undeclared war on Naga civilians by the Indian forces” to end and that AFPSA would be repealed. It hoped that this would pave the way for an “inclusive, honourable and acceptable Indo-Naga settlement”.

It is only through the settlement of the Indo-Naga political issue, through which real and permanent peace, development and prosperity will be ushered in, it said.

Anticipating the sincerity and political commitment of the GoI in resolving the Indo-Naga political issue, ANSAM also strongly reaffirmed their support to the resolution of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) to extend Non-Cooperation towards the Indian Armed Forces until AFSPA, 1958 is repealed.