Guwahati: Several social organisations in Nagaland have threatened to launch state-wide agitation if justice does not prevail over the Oting massacre, which had left 14 Naga civilians dead. The organisations' demand came in the wake of the September 17 order of the Supreme Court where the apex court had dismissed the petitions seeking the prosecution of 30 Army personnel involved in the killings of 13 civilians in Oting in Nagaland on December 4, 2021.
While the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) expressed concern over the closure of criminal proceedings against the personnel of 21 Para (SF) involved in the tragic killing of 14 civilians at Oting, it said that the apex Court's decision to close the FIRs without prosecution further compounds the gross injustice the Naga people have endured.
"The Supreme Court dismissal of criminal proceedings against 30 Indian Army Personnel involved in Oting Massacre on September 17, 2024 comes as a rude shock to the Nagas. The Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) expresses its strong objection against the denial of justice to the victims,” said a statement issued by the ceasefire outfit NSCN.
"The NSF is appalled by the Government of India's consistent refusal to grant prosecution sanction against the guilty personnel. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Nagaland Government had filed a charge sheet naming 30 members of the 21 Para (SF), based on irrefutable evidence. The charges were not vague allegations but were supported by concrete findings after thorough investigation,” said Medovi Rhi, president of the NSF.
They also said that the Oting massacre is not merely an isolated act of violence but a reflection of systemic injustice that has persisted under the "draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958".
The NSF has demanded prosecution sanction against the accused personnel of the 21 Para (SF) involved in the Oting massacre and full accountability and transparency from the Union Government regarding the botched intelligence operation.
The powerful students’ body also demanded immediate revocation of AFSPA from the Naga homeland and the Northeast and said that they will be left with no option but to launch democratic agitations to fight for the justice that has been denied to the victims and their families.
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