DIMAPUR, JUNE 4 (MExN): The Western Naga Youth Front (WNYF) has expressed its deepest solidarity with a couple and their younger siblings who were recently subjected to what it described as a “horrific incident of intimidation, physical assault, and extortion” by the NSCN (Khango) group.
In a statement, the WNYF said the victims, a couple belonging to the Chang and Sangtam communities and bonafide members of the Eastern Nagaland People’s Union Dimapur (ENPUD), were manhandled, threatened and coerced into signing a bond under duress, agreeing to pay an arbitrary fine of Rs 3 lakh. It further alleged that they were robbed of their hard-earned savings at their residence.
“Such lawless acts, carried out without due process or justification, amount to nothing short of criminal extortion and human rights violation,” the Front stated.
The WNYF said the woman, who was among those targeted, is a legitimate customer care executive for eBay, a fact that was verified by the police following the incident. It said she was wrongfully accused based on unfounded suspicions, despite being engaged in an honest profession.
“In today’s digital era, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19, many of our youth have embraced online jobs and work-from-home roles to build an honest livelihood. Instead of being supported or encouraged, this young woman was harassed and robbed—a disgraceful reflection of how far we have strayed from the values we claim to uphold,” the statement read.
Condemning what it termed an act of violence and psychological terror, the WNYF said the incident breached the principles of justice and dignity and went against the spirit of the Naga struggle, which it described as one founded on truth, self-respect, and unity.
The WNYF called upon all “right-thinking Naga citizens, civil societies, and human rights bodies” to denounce such acts that “exploit our own people under the guise of authority.” It further urged the Ceasefire Monitoring Group and law enforcement agencies to take immediate cognizance of the incident and ensure the safety, justice, and dignity of the victims.
“The time has come for us to speak not just against illegal taxation but also against the misuse of power by any group that claims to represent the Naga cause yet acts in ways that divide, intimidate, and oppress,” the WNYF stated, while extending strong solidarity with the Chang Union Dimapur and ENPUD in the pursuance of justice.
