DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 18 (MExN): The Wesean Naga Student Union (WNSU) has issued a condemnation of the Supreme Court's recent ruling that quashed criminal proceedings against the army personnel involved in the Oting massacre. The WNSU described the decision as a stark endorsement of state-sponsored brutality, marking a severe miscarriage of justice and reflecting deep-seated marginalization of Wesean lives.
The WNSU's statement underscored that the Oting massacre is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, orchestrated campaign of violence against the Wesean people. From Tiru to Malom, Heirangoithong to Kohima, the Indian state has systematically targeted and dehumanized Wesean lives, according to the union.
The ruling, the WNSU asserted, highlighted the entrenched impunity enjoyed by the Indian Army and Assam Rifles.
The statement criticized the Indian state's long history of shielding its military from accountability under laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The Oting massacre, according to the WNSU, is part of a troubling pattern of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations perpetrated by Indian forces in Nagaland and Wesea. Recent incidents, including the assault on the President of the Angami Students Union, further illustrate the unchecked power and impunity of these forces, it said.
The WNSU called for immediate accountability for the Oting massacre and all other atrocities committed against the Wesean people. They denounced the Indian government’s indifference and demanded justice, emphasizing that peace cannot be achieved while their grievances remain unaddressed. The WNSU urged “Weseans” to unite in resistance and asserted that if India genuinely seeks peace in Nagaland, it must begin by holding those responsible for violence accountable.
