KNO condemns assassination of Abonmai
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 23 2021:
Kuki National Organization (KNO) on Thursday expressed its deepest condolences over the death Athuan Abon-mai, former president and advisor of Zeliangrong Baudi (Assam, Nagaland and Manipur) and strongly condemned "the cowardly act of assassination that ended the life of a brave leader" .
KNO said, "It is a great shame that NSCN (IM), which seeks justice in the name of Christ, should act in such a contradictory and cowardly manner against a civilian" .
"The KNO leadership and Zeliangrong Baudi leaders, including Athuan Abonmai, had on 23rd March, 2019 met and discussed at length the various political challenges we face as kindred communities with undeniable proximity in lineage and socio-political prospects" .
"In this hour of grief for the entire Zeliangrong community, KNO re-af-firms the commitments made with the Zeliangrong Baudi to stand together and fight for the rights of our people, and to unite against forces that aim to impose their ideology of greed and hatred," KNO said in its condolence message.
"The alleged perpetrators of the inhuman crime, the NSCN-IM, have a history of eliminating prominent leaders of various communities across Manipur and Nagaland, and it may not be a surprise if they turn out to be responsible for this crime as well," it added.
KNO then cautioned "the Government of India to closely re-examine the political claims of the NSCN-IM before finalizing any deal with them, taking note of their modus operandi of threatening and killing any leader of communities they forcibly want to subdue under Naga political identity" .
"May the good Lord who says 'vengeance is mine' bring justice against the killers of Abonmai.
And may His comfort and peace be present with the bereaved family members," it concluded.