Manipur: Tangkhul Nagas condemn killing of 13 civilians in Nagaland

Imphal: The Tangkhul Naga civil society organisations in Manipur condemned the indiscriminate killing of 13 civilians in Nagaland on Saturday.

A joint statement issued by the Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL), Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long (TNWL), Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) and Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long (TMNL), called the December 4 incident “an act of heinous war crime in a deliberate abrogation of the ongoing Indo-Naga ceasefire ground rules.”

It further stated that the Tangkhul CSOs observe that such incidents only reflect the deeper pattern of routine military repression aimed at terrorising innocent Naga civilian populace under the existing regime of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). The CSOs said: “A professional military follows international standards for conduct and is responsible for protecting —not harming— the people it serves.”

The CSOs urged all armed personnel responsible for such serious human rights violations to be held accountable.

“We demanded immediate suspension of the commanding officer of the unit in prosecution thereof; withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 and the denotification of the ‘disturbed area’ declaration of the whole state of Nagaland, restoration of sanctity of the India-Naga ceasefire ground rules and timely and honourable conclusion of the ongoing Indo-Naga Peace Dialogue,” the CSOs said.

The Naga People’s Organisation (NPO), Senapati, while expressing deep sorrow and anguish over the indiscriminate firing by Assam Rifles on innocent civilians, also condemned the cowardly and barbaric act of security forces.

The unwarranted incident has created a huge vacuum of trust deficit among the civilians and the Assam Rifles so-called ‘Friends of the Hills’ let loose a demon of terror ‘Killers of the Hills’, stated NPO.

The NPO also urged the authorities to book those responsible for the inhuman act at the earliest and punish punitively.