Eastern Naga Students’ Federation holds candlelight vigil at Kisama for Oting village victims

KOHIMA — The year 2025 marked the fourth anniversary of the killing of 13 civilians at Oting village in Mon district by the 21 Para Special Forces.

In remembrance, the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) held a candlelight vigil at the ongoing Hornbill Festival in Kisama’s Konyak Morung on Friday.

People gathered to extend their solidarity and pray for the 13 victims who lost their lives on the fateful day of December 4, 2021.

They demanded justice for the victims and their families, pointing out that despite the passage of four years, justice is yet to be delivered.

The protesters also called for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) of 1958, which grants extraordinary powers to armed forces.

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ENSF President Nuheymong Yimkhiung urged that AFSPA be repealed in its entirety in Nagaland and demanded that justice be delivered to the victims and their families without further delay.

He said that AFSPA, enforced in Nagaland since 1958, has been responsible for such brutal incidents and warned that people can no longer tolerate similar tragedies in the future. He further added that Nagas are peace-loving citizens, and their identity should not be mistaken or targeted.

Describing the Oting massacre as a “shameful day” in the history of Indian intelligence, Yimkhiung said that the incident raised serious questions about the credibility of the country’s defence system.

President of ENPUK, Toshi Chang, said that the lives lost are not mere statistics or faceless figures, as she read out the names of the victims. “Four years have passed, but the ache in the hearts of the loved ones remains as real as it was that day,” she said.

Pusho P, Vice President of ENSF, said that the Oting massacre is just one among many cases caused by the draconian provisions of AFSPA, which have stripped people of their dignity. He added that the remembrance of the Oting massacre is observed to ensure that such situations do not occur in the future.