Tributes paid to martyred student duo
Source: Chronicle News Service
Senapati, May 06 2025:
The 15th anniversary of the martyrdom of Lt Neli Chakho and Lt Dikho Loshuo was observed at Martyrs' Park, Mao, on Tuesday.
The ceremony paid tribute to the two young students who lost their lives on May 6, 2010 during a peaceful gathering to welcome Naga leader Th Muivah, general secretary of GPRN, to his native village, Somdal.
In his keynote address, N Athikho Joseph, president of Mao Council, recounted the tragic events of that day, when security forces opened fire oh unarmed civilians at Mao Gate.
The violence resulted in the deaths of Chakho and Loshuo - both bright and aspiring students - and left many others injured.
He affirmed that their sacrifice remains a powerful symbol of Naga unity and resistance, and that their courage would continue to inspire future generations.
Kuba Peter, president of Naga People's Organisation, echoed these sentiments, describing the two young men as embodiments of honour and bravery.
"They chose courage over fear," he said, emphasising that their sacrifice must not be relegated to history alone, but should serve as the moral foundation for ongoing efforts to uphold the rights and dignity of the Naga people.
He called on attendees to renew their commitment to justice and to live in a way that honours the martyrs' legacy.
Ashiho Asoumai, Kilo Kilonser of GPRN, stated that gathering was not solely to mourn their deaths, but to honour their lives - their courage, vitality, and the indomitable spirit they embodied.
They were students with dreams and aspirations, driven by a profound desire to live with dignity and self-respect as Nagas in their own homeland.
That dream, however, was brutally cut short by the force of bullets and the cold machinery of state repression.
"May 6, 2010, was not merely an assault on two individuals - it was an attack on our Naga identity, an attack on the collective voice of the Nagas, and an attack on our very existence as a people," the Kilonser said.
Asoumai urged the youth to embrace this legacy - not as one of sorrow, but of strength and resolve.
He called for remembrance through knowledge, unity, and purpose, noting that genuine change requires action.
"It is not enough to mourn - we must move, act, and build," he declared.
Ng Lorho, president of United Naga Council, also paid tribute, stating that the Council salutes the patriotism and sacrifice of Chakho and Loshuo.
He recalled that on that fateful day, national leader Th Muivah, Ato Kilonser of GPRN, was denied entry into his native village of Somdal in Ukhrul.
In response, Mao Gate was transformed into a heavily militarised zone, with the imposition of Section 144-CrPC and the deployment of state security and paramilitary forces.
Despite this, the Naga people stood united, peacefully asserting their democratic rights.
Tragically, the Manipur state security forces (commandos) responded with excessive force, firing tear gas and live ammunition into a peaceful rally.
Two young lives were lost, and hundreds of women and elderly persons sustained injuries.
This act of violence was not just against individuals - it was an assault on the collective dignity of the Naga people, he continued.
Lorho then affirmed the UNC's commitment to peaceful resistance and to achieving the Naga people's political aspirations through unity.
He expressed hope that the Indo-Naga political settlement, based on the Framework Agreement, would soon be realised.
At the start of the programme, dignitaries from UNC, ANSAM, NPO, SDWA, SDSA, NPMHR-South, Mao Council, Mao Students' Union, Mao Naga Women's Welfare Association, Kalinamai Youth & Students Organisation, along with other well-wishers, laid wreaths in tribute.
A one-minute silence was observed in solemn remembrance of the two martyrs.
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