WESEAN Naga Student Union condemns Supreme Court ruling on Oting massacre

WESEAN NAGA STUDENTS UNION (WNSU)

UNIT OF WESEAN STUDENT FEDERATION

Khonsa,Tirap, Arunachal Pradesh 792130, India

September 18, 2024

Press Statement

The Wesean Naga Student Union (WNSU) vehemently condemns the Supreme Court’s outrageous ruling quashing criminal proceedings against the army personnel responsible for the Oting massacre. This decision is not just another legal misstep—it is a blatant endorsement of state-sponsored brutality. The Oting massacre is no anomaly but part of an orchestrated campaign of violence inflicted on the people of Wesea for decades. From Tiru to Malom, Heirangoithong to Kohima, the Indian state has systematically targeted our people, treating Wesean lives as disposable.

This ruling lays bare the deep-seated marginalization and contempt for Wesean lives within the Indian system. It reinforces the unchecked impunity that the Indian Army and Assam Rifles have long enjoyed. The massacre was not an accident. Eyewitness reports confirm that soldiers not only executed civilians but also attempted to conceal their barbarity by hiding the bodies—an act of pure cowardice. The crime would have been buried along with the victims if not for the courage of local villagers who exposed the truth. This is the reality of Wesea—violence followed by lies, cover-ups, and systemic denial of justice.

The Indian state has a long history of shielding its military from accountability under draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The Oting massacre is yet another atrocity in a long list of extrajudicial killings, rapes, and human rights violations committed by Indian forces in Nagaland and Wesea. Just recently, Assam Rifles assaulted the President of the Angami Students Union, further proving that these forces act with complete impunity, emboldened by the legal shield provided by AFSPA. India has glorified the perpetrators of violence against our people, shielding them from prosecution while treating our cries for justice with indifference. This ruling is not just a legal failure—it is a statement from the Indian state: Wesean lives do not matter. The systematic oppression of our people, the exploitation of our resources, and the erasure of our humanity have reached a breaking point. Does India truly believe peace can be built on the blood of innocent civilians? Does it think we will remain silent as our people are slaughtered and our dignity trampled?

Let’s be clear—this is not about one massacre. This is about decades of systemic violence and the Indian state’s complete disregard for the people of Wesea. The silence from New Delhi as Manipur burns, while Wesean land is exploited, is not surprising—it is part of the same colonial mindset that has oppressed us for generations. How can there be peace when the government refuses to see us as equals, when it continues to treat our land as a resource to be plundered and our people as collateral damage?

The WNSU demands immediate accountability for the Oting massacre, and for every other atrocity committed against the people of Wesea. There will be no peace without justice. We will no longer accept hollow promises, half-measures, or empty apologies. To every Wesean: now is the time to unite and resist the state’s oppression with unwavering resolve. If India truly seeks peace in Nagaland, let it start by holding its killers accountable. Until then, let there be no doubt: we will continue to fight for justice, for our rights, and for our dignity. If India refuses to acknowledge our humanity, it is India itself that fuels the calls for separation.

Kibwanger Jamir

General Secretary, WNSU

David Lowang

President, WNSU