NSF candlelight vigil; demands justice for Ukhrul victims

Naga Students’ Federation president Mteisuding Heraang on Thursday said the recent gathering was not only to mourn innocent lives lost but to demonstrate unity and collective resolve against injustice.
Delivering a solidarity message during a vigil programme, Heraang said the event was both an expression of grief and a declaration that the Naga people would remain united in difficult times. He said the sorrow of the bereaved families was shared by the entire Naga community and that the tragedy underscored their shared destiny in both suffering and strength.
Referring to the Naga political issue, he said the struggle was rooted in history, identity and the aspiration for dignity. He maintained that the movement did not begin in recent times and could not be confined by artificial boundaries, adding that Nagas had asserted their right to determine their own future long before India’s independence. He described the movement as one of survival, aimed at protecting identity, land and inherent rights. Heraang alleged that recent incidents were not isolated events but part of a systematic pattern of aggression. He said repeated violence, arson, intimidation, assaults and coordinated attacks reflected attempts to create fear and destabilise the Naga people in their homeland.
Demanding justice and accountability, he expressed concern over what he termed silence and inaction from authorities.
He warned that failure to punish those responsible would only encourage further violence, and called for swift, impartial and visible justice. He added that while the Naga people have consistently upheld peace, peace cannot exist without respect and security. Reaffirming commitment to peaceful coexistence, he said genuine peace requires mutual respect, recognition of rights and an end to aggression. He also cautioned that the patience of the people should not be mistaken for weakness, saying restraint should not be seen as submission.
Also speaking at the programme, Eastern Naga Students’ Federation(ENSF)_ president Nuheymong Yim conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and said the sacrifices of the deceased would be remembered in Naga history.
He urged people to seek justice with truth, faith and a clear conscience, while stating that vengeance had no place in the pursuit of a united society. Concluding his message, Yim cited First Corinthians 13:13, highlighting faith, hope and love, with love being the greatest.
Earlier in the programme, Vishü Rita Krocha recited a poem titled How Long Must We Wait for Peace?
The Naga Students’ Federation also submitted a memorandum to Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, president of the United Human Rights Council, seeking urgent attention to alleged human rights violations against the Naga people. The federation appealed for accountability and justice, protection of indigenous Naga rights, and support for peaceful and just conflict resolution mechanisms.
In the memorandum, NSF stated that as the collective voice of Naga youth, it was placing before the UNHRC concerns over what it described as grave, systematic and escalating violations faced by Nagas. It referred to the April 18 ambush at TM-Kasom village, alleging that the attack was carried out by armed Kuki militants and formed part of a continuing pattern of aggression against Naga communities.
The memorandum also cited the historical basis of the Naga political movement and recent escalation of hostilities by armed groups. It said peace cannot endure without justice and dignity cannot survive under constant threat.
It added that the deaths of the two victims should serve as a wake-up call to the international community.
Francis P. Kiewhuo delivered the invocation, while the programme concluded with tributes to the deceased.