Amid rising crimes against women, Western Naga Youth Front slams government inaction

The Western Naga Youth Front (WNYF) convened a consultative meeting on April 24 at the Diphupar Village Council Hall, attended by representatives from DAYO, RYOD, DNYO, ZYOD, WCYO, DENSU, and BAN. The meeting focused on what the organizers described as “prevailing social unrest” and “the alarming increase in crimes against women” within Naga society.

In a statement following the meeting, the WNYF expressed “grave concern” at the rising crime rate and criticized the “perceived failure of the administration and government in ensuring justice for the victims.”

The youth organizations discussed three major cases where they alleged justice had been delayed or denied: The physical assault of a nurse at the District Hospital Dimapur on February 24, where a charge-sheet is yet to be filed. The murder of a young mother at Pimla on April 7, which, according to the WNYF, has seen “no substantial progress in investigation or justice delivery.” The sexual assault of multiple women by an IAS officer, reportedly beginning as early as 2021, where a verdict is still pending “despite widespread condemnation and demand for justice.”

“The inability of the administration/government to act swiftly and decisively in these cases is deeply concerning and condemnable,” the WNYF said. “Justice delayed is justice denied, and in these cases, justice is clearly being denied.”

The WNYF cautioned that continued inaction could lead to unrest: “We caution that continued inaction may lead to unrest if the people, especially the youth, begin to lose patience and take matters into their own hands.”

The meeting also resolved to extend “full support” to the ongoing protest by the Confederation of Tribal and Indigenous Peoples of Nagaland (CTAN) and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) against the regularization of 147 contractual Assistant Professors and a librarian. The WNYF warned that it “will not hesitate to join in further agitation” if the issue is not addressed satisfactorily, stating that the matter “directly concerns all the youths.”

“The government must take immediate steps to restore public trust by holding the perpetrators accountable and delivering timely justice,” it said.

MT