NESO bemoans verdict, demands repeal of AFSPA
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 23 2024: North East Students' Organisation (NESO), a body representing student unions across the North East, has expressed concern over the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding the Oting massacre in Nagaland's Mon district.

The apex court's ruling passed on September 17 to close criminal proceedings against military personnel accused in the case has sparked strong resentment, with NESO calling it denial of justice for the victims and their families.

In a press release, NESO said that the Oting massacre, which took place on December 4, 2021, saw 14 civilians from the Mon district brutally killed by personnel of Indian Army's 21 Para Special Forces (SF) .

The incident, which shocked the region and the nation, led to widespread demands for justice and accountability.

NESO stated that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Nagaland government had gathered overwhelming evidences implicating 30 members of the 21 Para SF in the killings.

Despite this, the Union government refused to sanction the prosecution order against the military personnel involved, hindering progress of the trial.

The SIT's findings were submitted to the district and sessions court of Mon, but legal proceedings remained stalled due to the Union government's refusal to grant prosecution permission.

NESO's statement highlighted the long-standing alienation and marginalisation felt by the people of North East, and said that the Supreme Court's decision only deepens the region's sense of exclusion.

The press release noted that the court itself acknowledged that the case could proceed if the Union government allowed prosecution, yet the refusal to act send a message that the lives of civilians in the North East are deemed "dispensable," especially under the protection of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) .

The organisation stressed that AFSPA continues to fuel violence, impunity, and human rights abuses in the North East, and the Oting massacre is a tragic example of the law's dangerous effects.

NESO reiterated its call for complete repeal of AFSPA; arguing that it has no place in a democratic society.

NESO has been vocal for years about the harmful consequences of AFSPA, which grants military forces broad powers and immunity from prosecution in so-called "disturbed areas" like much of the North East.

Demanding the Union government to immediately sanction the prosecution of the 21 Para SF personnel involved in the massacre, NESO said that justice should be delivered to the victims and their families.

Failure to do so will only perpetuate the cycle of mistrust and violence that has long plagued the region, NESO added.

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