Kohima, April 23: The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on Thursday cautioned against continued attacks on Naga communities during a candlelight vigil held at Naga Solidarity Park in Kohima to honour two individuals killed in an April 18 ambush in Manipur’s Ukhrul district.
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| Candles and floral tributes placed during a vigil at Naga Solidarity Park, Kohima, in memory of two victims killed in the April 18 ambush along NH-202 in Manipur’s Ukhrul district. |
Hundreds of students and members of the public gathered at the vigil to pay tribute to the victims - Chinaoshang Shokwungao, a retired personnel of the Nagaland Regiment, and Garuingam Vashum - who were shot dead along National Highway-202 near TM Kasom village in Ukhrul district.
Addressing the gathering, NSF president Mteisuding Zeliang warned suspected Kuki militants against taking advantage of what he described as the “silence” of the Naga people.
“Our patience must not be mistaken for weakness. We have exercised restraint in the hope of peace and justice, but we will not remain silent if that patience is tested,” he said.
Zeliang stated that the vigil was not only an expression of grief but also a message of unity against injustice. While reiterating the Naga community’s commitment to democratic principles and peaceful coexistence, he said the community would stand firm to defend its people, land and dignity if provoked.
Speakers at the event also urged that the pursuit of justice should not lead to retaliation. Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) president Nuheymong Yim called for restraint and emphasised that justice must be pursued with a clear conscience rather than hatred.
“Violence carried out in the name of justice or peace only deepens divisions and undermines any moral claim,” he said.
The programme included a reading of the poem “How long must we wait for peace?” by Kohima Press Club president Visü Rita Krocha.
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Meanwhile, the NSF announced that it has submitted a memorandum to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), urging the international body to take cognisance of alleged human rights violations against Naga communities.
The memorandum, addressed to UNHRC president Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, described the April 18 ambush as part of what the organisation termed a pattern of violence and called for accountability, protection of indigenous rights and support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
The vigil concluded with a call for unity and justice, echoing the message: “We rise together: unbreakable, unafraid. For them, we will not be silent.”
