A delegation of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) was stopped at the Avangkhu checkgate in Meluri district early Saturday morning while travelling to Naga-inhabited areas of Myanmar for a cultural exchange program.
According to the NSF, Assam Rifles personnel stationed at the checkgate prevented the delegation from proceeding despite the members having reference letters for the trip.
The incident has drawn condemnation from the Angami Students’ Union (ASU), which described the action as “insensible” and questioned the circumstances under which the NSF delegation was prevented from meeting Naga communities in Myanmar.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the ASU alleged that the stoppage amounted to an infringement of the rights of Nagas living across the international border and questioned whether such action had the endorsement of the Government of India.
The ASU also criticised the Assam Rifles’ portrayal of itself as “Friends of the hill people”, alleging that the force’s actions towards the Naga people have contradicted that image.
The student body further alleged that the Assam Rifles’ role in the incident could not be viewed in isolation from what it described as decades of conflict involving the Naga people.
The ASU said it stood in solidarity with the NSF and called on Naga citizens to remain prepared to assert what it described as their rights and aspirations.
The NSF delegation was reportedly travelling for a cultural exchange program aimed at connecting with Naga communities in Myanmar.
