Northeast Desk, 21st September: The Rongmei Naga Students’ Organization, Manipur (RNSOM), has expressed strong indignation over the Supreme Court of India’s decision on September 17, 2024, which dismissed criminal proceedings against 30 Indian Army personnel involved in the Oting massacre. The incident, which occurred on December 4, 2021, in Oting village, Mon District, Nagaland, led to the tragic deaths of 14 civilians at the hands of the 21 Para (Special Forces).
In a forceful statement, the RNSOM condemned the court’s ruling, deeming it an injustice to the victims and their families. The organization objected to the closure of legal action, referring to the massacre as “inhuman” and stressing that the verdict severely undermines the Naga people’s ongoing quest for justice, human rights, and self-determination.
The Oting massacre has long been a painful chapter in Naga history, and the RNSOM linked the incident to the broader issues stemming from the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) of 1958. The group described AFSPA as a tool of state oppression and aggression, citing it as a source of systemic violence in the region.
In addition to condemning the ruling, the RNSOM questioned the integrity of India’s judiciary, criticizing its failure to deliver justice in the Oting case. They lamented that despite India’s status as the world’s largest democracy, the judicial system has “deliberately failed” to uphold justice for the victims, deepening the Naga people’s sense of alienation and frustration.