Western Naga Youth Front slams intimidation of couple by NSCN (Khango)

• DIMAPUR — The Western Naga Youth Front (WNYF) expressed solidarity with the couple and their younger siblings, who were recently subjected to alleged intimidation, physical assault, and extortion by operatives of the NSCN (Khango) group.
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• WNYF said in a press statement that the couple, bona fide members of the Eastern Nagaland People's Union Dimapur (ENPUD), were manhandled, threatened, and coerced into signing a bond under duress, agreeing to an arbitrary fine of INR 3 lakhs.
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• “Disturbingly, they were also 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 violations,” the statement read.

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• “Adding to the tragedy is the fact that the woman is a legitimate customer care executive for eBay, a detail verified by the police post-incident. She was wrongfully targeted under unfounded suspicions. 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,” it added.
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• Condemning the act “in the strongest possible terms” and the psychological terror, the WNYF noted that these actions not only breach the principles of justice and dignity but also go against the very spirit of the Naga struggle, which was founded on truth, self-respect, and unity.
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• It appealed to all right-thinking Naga citizens, civil society, and human rights bodies to denounce such behaviour that exploits their own people under the guise of authority and called upon the Ceasefire Monitoring Group and law enforcement agencies to take immediate cognisance of this incident and ensure the safety, justice, and dignity of the victims.
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• It said the time has come for people 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.
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• “We stand in strong solidarity with Chang Union Dimapur and ENPUD in the pursuance of justice,” it concluded.