Guwahati: The North East Students’ Organization (NESO) has expressed concern over the recent Supreme Court ruling that closed criminal proceedings against the 30 Army personnel involved in the 2021 Oting massacre, in which 14 civilians were killed.
The organization has called upon the Union Government to immediately sanction the prosecution of the army personnel and deliver justice to the victims.
It also urged the government to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the Northeast. “We also reiterate our long-standing demand for the complete repeal of AFSPA in the North East, a law that has no place in a democracy. Failure to do so will only deepen the cycle of mistrust and violence in the region,” NESO stated.
The tragic incident, which occurred in December 2021, saw 14 innocent civilians brutally killed by Indian Army personnel in Nagaland’s Mon district.
Despite overwhelming evidence unearthed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the Supreme Court, on September 17, reportedly closed criminal proceedings against the accused military personnel.
“This decision is an outright denial of justice to the victims and their families, who have been waiting for accountability,” the students’ body said.
NESO emphasized the SIT’s investigation showed overwhelming evidence that implicated 30 Army personnel, including senior officers, in the Oting killings.
“The charge sheet was submitted to the District and Sessions Court of Mon, yet the Union Government has refused to sanction their prosecution. This undermines the legal process and mocks the rule of law in the region,” it stated.
The NESO further stated, “The Supreme Court’s ruling only compounds the sense of alienation felt by the people of the Northeast, especially as the court itself acknowledged that the case could proceed if the Union Government grants prosecution sanction.”
“This bureaucratic impasse sends a dangerous signal that the lives of civilians, especially those from the Northeast, are dispensable under the draconian cover of AFSPA,” the organization said.
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The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) is a conglomeration of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU), Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF).
