Ukhrul, August 22: The Naga Students’ Organisation (NSO) at Lahe town in Naga Self-Administered Zone has issued a formal rejoinder to the Kachin Wesean Students’ Association (KWSA), expressing both appreciation for their solidarity and deep concern over forced recruitment practices and escalating tensions between the two communities.
In its letter, signed by Naogang Ngansa, President of the Naga Students’ Organisation, dated August 22, it acknowledged the KWSA’s open press statement of August 11 and welcomed its recognition of the suffering of Naga civilians at the hands of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its allied forces. The organisation described such acknowledgment as “an important step toward ensuring accountability and justice.”
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While reiterating its commitment to peaceful dialogue and mutual respect, the NSO strongly condemned all forms of forced recruitment, whether by Naga armed groups, the KIA, or the Myanmar military junta. “No revolutionary cause can justify the coercion of youths into armed service against their will,” the statement read, underscoring that the NSO has consistently rejected such practices.
The rejoinder urged the KWSA to convey to the leadership of the Kachin Independence Organisation/KIA the need to refrain from actions that could inflame tensions further. The NSO warned that “unscrupulous activities against Naga civilians risk undermining the very bonds of solidarity our peoples have built over generations of shared struggle.”
The organisation also appealed to the KIA to abandon what it called “divisive strategies imported from outside powers, including those influenced by India.” Instead, it called for building a relationship “based on trust, respect, and partnership as equals within this revolutionary fraternity.”
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Reaffirming its mission to safeguard the welfare of Naga students and communities, the NSO declared its first responsibility was to ensure their safety, dignity, and future.
NSO also reiterated its commitment to justice, human rights, and solidarity with the Kachin people, stressing that “only through sincere dialogue and principled cooperation can we preserve the spirit of fraternity that has long bound our two peoples together.”
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