UKHRUL: The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has strongly condemned the killing of innocent civilians and alleged continued aggression by Kuki militant groups against Naga villages and ancestral lands. It has also rejected the accusations leveled against deputy chief minister Losii Dikho.
In a statement, the federation alleged that Kuki militant groups operating under the cover of the SoO agreement had repeatedly carried out premeditated and unwarranted attacks on Naga civilians, villages, and ancestral territories with impunity. It asserted that no community had the right to take innocent lives or seize ancestral lands through armed aggression, adding that the protection of Naga lives, land and rights remained non-negotiable.
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The Federation also stated that it is a fact that Thangboi Kipgen, the husband of the deputy chief minister Nemcha Kipgen, is the head of the Kuki militant outfit and that the familial connection between a sitting deputy chief minister and the SoO-covered militant outfit constitutes clear patronage that enables violence against Nagas. It recalled that Naga legislators in Manipur had earlier sought intervention and accountability over the alleged links, but claimed that their concerns remained unaddressed.
Meanwhile, the federation rejected what it described as selective and unfounded allegations against Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Losii Dikho, stating that he had consistently advocated peace, dialogue and peaceful coexistence among communities.
It maintained that Dikho had publicly condemned killings on all sides and questioned what it termed a double standard in the treatment of political leaders, with allegations against a Naga leader being highlighted while the alleged links involving a Kuki leader and a SoO militant outfit were being downplayed. The federation also asserted that the SoO agreement must not serve as a shield for violence against Naga communities or encroachment on their ancestral lands.
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Claiming that the Naga people had not initiated the ongoing conflict in Manipur, the NSF alleged that premeditated aggression by Kuki militant groups had forced Nagas to defend their lives, territorial integrity and ancestral rights.
The federation called upon the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to end what it described as patronage of SoO Kuki militant groups, ensure equal standards of accountability, and immediately abrogate the SoO agreement.
The NSF reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Naga lives, lands and rights, asserting that violence against the Naga people would be met with firm and sustained resistance through all legitimate means.
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It further stated that truth and justice must prevail over what it termed selective narratives surrounding the ongoing conflict.
