Dimapur, June 21 (MExN): The Zeme Council Nagaland has strongly condemned the abduction, torture and killing of six Naga civilians from Konsakhul village in Manipur, describing the incident as a barbaric act that has deeply shocked the Naga community and violated the fundamental principles of humanity and justice.
In a statement, the council said the gruesome killings represented one of the most horrific manifestations of human cruelty and constituted not only a crime against six innocent individuals but also a direct assault on human dignity, peace and the values of a civilised society.
Expressing anguish over reports surrounding the incident, the council said no cause, ideology, ethnic animosity or grievance could ever justify such violence against unarmed civilians.
It said the reported torture and inhumane treatment inflicted on the victims reflected a level of brutality that was abhorrent and unacceptable in any civilised society, adding that the incident had left the Naga people devastated, enraged and grieving.
The council said the pain suffered by the bereaved families was beyond measure and that the scars left by the incident would endure for generations.
Demanding justice, the Zeme Council urged the Government of India, the Government of Manipur and all concerned authorities to undertake a comprehensive, impartial and time-bound investigation to uncover the full truth behind the killings.
It said every individual responsible for the crime, whether directly involved, complicit or accountable through negligence, must be identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law, asserting that anything less would amount to a grave failure of justice.
The council also expressed serious concern over how such an incident could occur despite the presence of security forces in the region and called upon the authorities to explain the circumstances that allowed the tragedy to take place and to take urgent measures to ensure the safety of innocent civilians.
Appealing for unity, the organisation urged all communities to stand together in demanding justice and accountability while upholding peace and the rule of law and rejecting hatred, lawlessness and the cycle of violence that continues to claim innocent lives.
The Zeme Council conveyed its condolences to the bereaved families and expressed solidarity with the people of Konsakhul village and the wider Naga community.
Reaffirming its commitment to seeking justice for the victims and their families, the council said those responsible for the killings must not be allowed to escape accountability, warning that justice delayed or denied would deepen the suffering of the affected families and undermine public faith in institutions entrusted with safeguarding human life.
