Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, JUN 14 (NPN): Eleven Naga tribal youth organisations and including student bodies based in Dimapur on Sunday urged Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio to take up the killing of six Naga civilians in Manipur with the Manipur government and the Government of India to ensure justice and accountability.
At a joint consultative meeting convened by the Zeliang Youth Organisation Dimapur (ZYOD) and Zeliang Youth Organisation Chümoukedima (ZYOC) at the Zeliang Community Welfare Building, Eros Lane, Dimapur, representatives of the organisations resolved to submit a joint memorandum to the chief minister through the Deputy Commissioner Dimapur on Monday. Addressing the media, ZYOD general secretary Rampau Haining described the killings and alleged mutilation of the bodies as a heinous crime that had shocked Nagas across all regions.
He said the memorandum would urge the chief minister to intervene with the Manipur government and the Centre to ensure justice for the victims. “True justice means that the perpetrators must be apprehended and punished according to the law,” he said.
ZYOD president Idizeung Reunim termed the incident a direct threat to Naga society and questioned the failure of authorities and security agencies to protect the victims.
He, however, appealed for restraint and cautioned against retaliatory violence.
“This is a direct threat to the Naga society, beyond artificial boundaries. They were civilians. unarmed civilians,” Reunim stated.
The youth leaders stressed that the issue concerned all Nagas across Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar, and should not be viewed as limited to a single tribe or region.
Dimapur Eastern Naga Students’ Union president Thongule Sangtam said the gathering was intended to demonstrate solidarity among Nagas and condemn the brutality of the killings.
The organisations also emphasised the need to maintain peace in Nagaland while remaining vigilant about the spillover of instability from neighbouring Manipur.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Dimapur Area Youth Organisation, Dimapur Lotha Youth Organisation, Dimapur Eastern Naga Students’ Union, Rongmei Youth Club Dimapur, Dimapur Rengma Youth Organisation, Tenyimi Youth Organisation Dimapur, Western Chakhesang Youth Organisation, Western Naga Youth Front, ZYOD and ZYOC.