Chumoukedima, Nagaland, October 9 (HBTV): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has written to the Home Minister of India demanding prosecution sanction against the 21 military personnel involved in the Oting massacre.   

In a statement, the NSF expressed indignation over the closure of criminal proceedings against the personnel of 21 Para (SF) involved in the tragic killing of 14 civilians at Oting in Mon district of Nagaland on December 4, 2021.   

“The Supreme Court's decision on 17 September 2024 to close the FIRs without prosecution further compounds the gross injustice the Naga people have endured,” the NSF stated.

“The NSF is appalled by the Government of India's consistent refusal to grant prosecution sanction against the guilty personnel. The Special Investigation Team formed by the Nagaland Government had filed a charge sheet naming 30 members of the 21 Para (SF), based on irrefutable evidence. The charges were not vague allegations but were supported by concrete findings after thorough investigation,” the NSF stated.   

“Yet, the denial of prosecution raises serious questions: What is the Government of India trying to hide? Why is justice being withheld despite the gravity of the crime? By denying prosecution sanction, the government appears to be protecting the guilty rather than upholding the rule of law.”

The Oting incident, the organization stated, is not merely an isolated act of violence but a reflection of systemic injustice that has persisted under the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958.

“AFSPA, which has long been opposed by the people of the Northeast, continues to provide blanket immunity to armed forces personnel, effectively sanctioning extrajudicial killings and grave violations of human rights.” 

“This law has no place in a democratic society. It is time the Government of India revokes AFSPA from the Naga homeland. The Oting incident stands as a glaring example of how AFSPA is used to shield perpetrators of violence against innocent civilians, deepening the wounds of conflict and alienation.”

The NSF has demanded prosecution sanction against the accused personnel of the 21 Para (SF) involved in the Oting massacre; and immediate revocation of AFSPA from the Naga homeland and the Northeast.

‘If these demands are not addressed, the NSF will be left with no option but to launch democratic agitations to fight for the justice that has been denied to the victims and their families. The Naga people will not remain silent in the face of such gross injustices,’ the NSF stated.