The Phevima Kacharigaon Village Council, Youth Organization and the Students’ Union has condemned the brutal assault and torture on December 17, 2024 on three Naga youths, two of whom are bona-fide citizens of its village.
In a press release issued today, the civil society organisations expressed shock and enragement over the abduction at gunpoint and inhuman torture.
“What crime have they committed against the so called NSCN Akato group that they be treated as criminals or enemies? We have learnt that they were taken to the residence of Micheal Yepthomi, so called Ato Kilonser NSCN Akato at Thahekhu Village where they were mercilessly beaten and hit with the butts of AK 47 Rifles and Pistols! Even the plea and request of the younger brother, a student to have mercy on them were not heeded! Instead, they ridiculed the young student who couldn’t bear the pain of rifle butt hit on his stomach and began to moan and cry. He was mocked saying,” Why are you crying? Are you not a male?” How ca” a young student or for that matter a living human not feel the pain of kicks and strikes of rifle and pistol butts?” stated the press release.
It further questioned, “We want to know why the Ato Kilonser, NSCN Akato should built an Iron Cage and torture innocent Nagas at gun point inside the cage? Are unarmed Naga citizens criminals in your sight? Are guns in your possession meant to be abused on your own blood brothers? This is anti-Naga and Nagas should rise to fight against such evil doers
We also want to refute the person who made clarifications through NLTV Channel that it was the scooty that hit the Alto car and not vice versa. In regards to alleging that one of our member attempted to hit the armed bodyguards with iron rod is totally baseless. Who in his right mind will raise his hand on a group of people armed with Assault Rifles and Pistols?”
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The organisations refuted the claims of the perpetrators as civilians. “We also refute that our members were drunk as they went to help their friends after receiving a call and they started from their home with the knowledge and permission from their parents and not otherwise. If clarification aired through NLTV are true and they were beaten only with sticks why were they required to be hospitalized? Are the visuals of wounds and scars not enough to prove they were barbarically assaulted? Our members have sustained unseen internal injury which will definitely have grave future health repercussions,” questioned the organisations.
The organisations strongly demanded the authority to arrest all the accused involved in the torture of Naga youths, and urged the authority to book all accused under relevant National Security Act to prevent such atrocities on Nagas in the future.
“We have faith that the authority will not succumb to pressure tactics but justice be given to innocent victims who are Nagas by blood and not second-class citizens. In conclusion any harm caused on our members in the near future will solely be borne by the group as they have warned and threatened them in the presence of their father that they know their faces and identity and they can be thrashed anytime in the city. We take this uncivilized and barbaric threat seriously and is beyond tolerance,” added the organisations, further extending solidarity to the victims.
