Dimapur: Leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Women Union, Manipur (NWU-M) and All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) visited Oting village in Mon district of Nagaland today. A nine-member delegation of the three Naga organizations from the state of Manipur travelled all the way to Mon district to pay tributes to the 14 villagers killed by security forces in the first week of this month.
The Naga leaders told Newmai News Network from Oting village this evening that they visited the graves of the 14 civilians. They also interacted with the family members of the deceased and shared their pains and griefs. The leaders of UNC, NWU and ANSAM also interacted with the Angh and other leaders of Oting village today and showed solidarity with the Oting village.
The Naga delegation then said that every drop of blood that was shed will “strengthen the Naga family and bring unity.” One of the leaders said, “Wherever the Nagas are, we are one. We will share the pain, sorrows and hardship together.”
The visiting Naga leaders then said that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) should be repealed immediately.
According to the Naga delegation, they took the help of Eastern Naga People’s Organisation (ENPO) to reach Oting village as they did not know the way. The Naga delegation, therefore, expressed “immense” gratitude to the ENPO for the help extended.
It can be recalled here that two days ago, UNC, NWU and ANSAM had submitted a joint memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, as a pre-condition to the “forthcoming Indo-Naga settlement”. The memorandum said that as long as the AFSPA prevails, the Army will continue to commit what they (Army) had done at the Oting village.
NNN