Manhandling of SDSA volunteers, KSO statement censured
Source: Chronicle News Service
Senapati, September 01 2024:
Thangal Union and Senapati District Women Association (SDWA) have strongly condemned the manhandling of SDSA volunteers by participants of the rally organised by Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) on Saturday in Kangpokpi and denounced the press statement of KSO-Sadar Hills issued regarding the incident.
According to a statement of Thangal Union, the peace rally organised by KSO-SH in Kangpokpi on Saturday was extended to Thangal Naga inhabited area despite earlier appeals not to take their agitation into Naga areas.
It was completely unacceptable that the rally held under the aegis of KSO-SH traversed through the areas that are under the ancestral territorial jurisdiction of the Thangal Nagas, the statement said and expressed its strong displeasure and condemnation on extension of the rally route.
The so-called peace rally organised under the aegis of KSO Sadar Hills was marred by unpleasant incidents of physical manhandling and intimidation by participants of the rally against SDSA volunteers, who had gathered to form human chain as a peaceful symbolic gesture of protest against the attempt to penetrate into Naga areas.
Such aggressive posture from rally participants was indeed a show of force and intimidation tactic, the Union statement issued by its information & publicity wing maintained.
In complete contrast to what had happened during the rally, KSO-SH issued a statement in the evening claiming that the rally was absolutely peaceful and slogan-free.
However, participants of the rally while traversing through Thangal Naga area were chanting 'This is Kukiland,' 'We want our Kukiland' thereby casting a shadow over KSO's tall claim of absolutely peaceful rally, the Thangal Union said and denounced the KSO-SH statement.
Video clippings about the rally that went viral on social media increased doubts of whether the rally was meant to promote peace or whip up emotions with such slogans in Naga-inhabited areas.
It was very unfortunate and regrettable that a responsible organisation like KSO-Sadar Hills would conceal the facts of the ground, the Thangal Union said while calling for facts be ascertained and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken.
Taking such protest into Naga areas when the rally ended, even if intended to be peaceful, has the potential to quickly escalate and turn violent.
Fear, apprehension and anxiety gripped Thangal Nagas living across the state following Saturday's incident, the Union said and strongly called for cessation of all such activities in future that will jeopardise peace and harmony in the area.
It also urged government to use every available emergency authority to prevent such escalation in the future.
The union urged all to redouble their efforts to work for a permanent peace.
Meanwhile, the Senapati District Women Association (SDWA) vociferously decried the provocative and violent attitude during the KSO-SH organised peace rally where the participants shouted 'We demand Kukiland.
This is Kukiland' within the Naga's land as uncalled for.
Every Kuki peace rally turning into violence reveals their barbarous nature, the district women's apex body stated.
In a condemnation note, the SDWA said that the assault on SDSA volunteers despite prior appeal by the association (SDSA) to cease any form of rally in the Naga inhabited areas was condemnable.
It said that video clips on social media clearly showed rally participants picking up stones to attack SDSA leaders and openly chanting 'We demand Kukiland, This is Kuki land' in Naga inhabited areas.
Such incidents went beyond the tolerance of the peace loving people, the SDWA said and strongly called for tactfulness and mindfulness in dealing with sensitive issues during this fragile juncture.
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