North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), an apex body of eight students’ associations of seven NE states, staged a protest in all the state capitals on Thursday, demanding the central government to take proactive steps to bring about a permanent peace in trouble-torn Manipur.
In Kohima, the protest was held outside the Raj Bhavan organized by Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) under the aegis of NESO.
Delivering the solidarity message, NESO secretary general Mutsikhoyo Yhobu pointed out that with guns in action in Manipur, the students there were not able to carry out their academic activities, thereby imperilling their future.
He demanded that the Central government should not play politics over innocent lives and stated that demonstrations were held across the North-eastern states to call for peace among the warring groups.
He also called upon Prime Minister Narenda Modi to speak on the issue, insisting that the Centre should show sincerity in tackling the situation in Manipur by taking necessary steps to stop the violence.
Speaking on the occasion, NESO coordinator Ejanthang Ngullie called upon all communities to live in harmony and foster peace. He also conveyed his condolences to the kin of all the innocent lives lost so far in the violence.
In his speech, former NSF president Kegwayhun Tep expressed concern for the students whose career had been affected by the ongoing conflict and stressed that the people of Nagaland and Manipur were neighbours and that lasting peace and normalcy were paramount for collective progress of the region.
Former NSF general secretary Imtiyapang Imsong appealed to all citizens across the North-eastern states to forge a unified stand and voice out their desire for peace and normalcy in Manipur and the entire Northeast. He declared that the people of Northeast would not remain silent until peace was brought in Manipur.
Calling for Peace, NSF vice-president Mteisuding said it was disheartening to note that despite the pleas and cries for help from the affected communities, the Central government had been disappointingly inactive in ending the violence in Manipur.
He pointed out that people of the Northeast had often felt neglected and marginalised due to the lack of a swift and meaningful response to crises that plagued the region such as the prolonged ongoing violence in Manipur.
He said the demonstration was held to express resentment against the inadequate response of the Centre to put an end to this cycle of violence and take necessary steps to promote reconciliation.
The NSF vice-president maintained that the call for peace was a plea for humanity to prevail across all socio-economic, political and cultural spectrums in the entire Northeast, reminding everyone that the ongoing conflict had caused immeasurable pain and suffering not only to those involved, but also to the entire region.
The programme was chaired by NSF general secretary Chumben Khuvung
The invocation was done by NSF education secretary Temjentoshi, and benediction was delivered by NSF auditor general Kawoka Awomi.