Orgs condemn killing of six men; UNC told to lay off

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 11: Even as many organisations strongly condemned the 'brutal murder' of six Naga men abducted from Leilon Vaiphei on May 13, the Katho Katamnao Long (KKL) has declared it will not cooperate with the United Naga Council's (UNC) shutdown call.
In a separate incident, unknown miscreants vandalised the office of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), Manipur State Unit head office in Senapati, located around 4 km from Senapati Police Station.
The residence of the vice president of UNC located at Langol Tarung was also targeted and stoned by protesters today.
According to police sources, the incident reportedly occurred around 11 pm. on June 10.
Until the killers are identified, arrested, and brought to justice, and until all organizations involved in this heinous crime are held accountable, Katho Katamnao Long will not cooperate with the United Naga Council in all its directives related to enforcement of the shutdown, KKL said in a statement.
"What the people are witnessing today is hypocrisy at its highest level. The very leadership that facilitated and welcomed the release of the 14 detainees now seeks to mobilize the Naga public through shutdowns and protest...," it said.
The announcement of a 24-hour shutdown at this juncture serves little purpose when the central issue remains unresolved. A shutdown cannot substitute accountability. A protest cannot replace justice, it said, adding there shall be no shutdown within Katho area.
The Thawaijao Hung-pung Young Students' Orga- nization (THYSO) endorsed KKL's noncooperation movement, and asserted that the tragic killing of the six Naga civilians has shaken the conscience of the people and exposes a grave failure of leadership and judgment.
There shall be no shutdown within the jurisdiction of THYSO, it added.
The Khanuithot-Khon too endorsed the con-cooperation call holding the UNC responsible for failure to save the lives of six men and secure their safe release.
Until and unless justice is served by apprehending and prosecuting every single culprit involved in the abduction and cold-blooded murder of the 6 Nagas, no Naga village, no Naga student body, and no Naga civil society shall follow any order, decree, or directive issued by the United Naga Council, it said.
"The current UNC executive body has completely lost the moral authority to represent the Naga people. They must step down immediately," it added.
Strongly condemning the murder of the six men including a Pastor and an ordained Minister, the Manipur Baptist Convention said such acts are utterly inhuman, barbaric, and a gross violation of the God given dignity and sanctity of human life.
While the release of 14 Kuki individuals reflected Christian compassion, goodwill, and a genuine desire for peace, the heinous killing of the six Naga men reflects a satanic and evil act that contradicts the teachings of Jesus Christ. No cause, grievance, or circumstance can ever justify such atrocities, it said.
The Government and its law enforcement agencies and all concerned authorities must conduct an immediate, impartial, transparent, and thorough investigation into this horrific crime, and the perpetrators must be swiftly identified, apprehended, and brought to justice, said the MBC.
It urges all communities and stakeholders to reject violence, uphold the dignity of every human life and work together for justice, reconciliation, and lasting peace.
Several Church bodies, including the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India, Baptist World Alliance and the Rongmei Baptist Churches Council (RBCC) too called for justice for the six Naga men, and urged all to pray for the grieving families, for protection of every innocent life, and for healing and reconciliation across Manipur.
Zeliangrong Baudi (Assam, Manipur and Nagaland), Zeliangrong Union (AMN), Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), 14 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Kangleipak, All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), North East Students' Organisation (NESO), Peace and Integrity Committee Kyamgei (PICK), Rongmei Scholars' Association (RSA),  and the All India Trade Union Congress Manipur State Committee (AITUC-MSC) also vehemently condemned the killing of the six Naga men and demanded justice for the bereaved families.
COCOMI said the State Government and the Central Government and their agencies must identify, arrest and punish the "terrorists" behind the brutal killings and arrest them.
The Government condemning the killing of the men after failing to trace them for nearly a month is appalling, COCOMI said.