NSF rejects Kuki-Zo Council's statement, demands justice for six slain Naga civilians and revocation of the SoO agreement
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DIMAPUR — The Naga Students' Federation (NSF) on Sunday rejected the recent statement issued by the Kuki-Zo Council on the killing of six Naga civilians, alleging that it sought to divert attention from the crime instead of addressing accountability.
In a press statement, the federation maintained that the focus should remain on securing justice for the six civilians who were abducted, tortured and killed, adding that "no carefully worded statement" could diminish the gravity of the incident or the suffering of the victims' families.
It also reiterated its demand for the arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the killings and called on the government of India to revoke the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups.
The NSF objected to the Kuki-Zo Council's use of the term "Kacha Naga" in reference to the Naga community, describing it as divisive and derogatory.
It maintained that no organisation had the authority to redefine or classify the identity of the indigenous Naga people.
According to the NSF, attempts to categorise Nagas into different regional identities were aimed at weakening Naga unity and undermining their collective identity.
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The federation asserted that despite present-day political boundaries, the Naga people share a common history, identity and destiny, and cautioned organisations and individuals against promoting narratives that it claimed were intended to create divisions among Nagas.
The NSF further stated that while the Naga people had historically coexisted peacefully with different communities, including Kuki groups residing in Naga-inhabited areas, such goodwill should not be exploited to undermine the rights, dignity and identity of indigenous inhabitants.
Reiterating its demand for justice, the federation called for all individuals responsible for the alleged abduction and killing of the six civilians—including members of armed Kuki groups and any civilians found, through due legal process, to have participated in or facilitated the crime—to be identified, arrested, prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law.
The NSF also urged the Centre to immediately abrogate the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, alleging that the arrangement had enabled armed groups to commit atrocities and human rights violations with impunity.
At the same time, the federation stated that the Naga people did not seek conflict with the government of India and reiterated their commitment to peaceful coexistence based on mutual respect, justice and recognition of historical and political rights.