By Imna Longchar
Dimapur (Nagaland), Nov 25 :The Naga Student’s Federation (NSF) on Thursday has expressed shocked over the arbitrary arrests of student leaders by Manipur police personnel and locked them up at various police stations in Imphal, Manipur.
The detained student leaders belonged to All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM), All Naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM), and Kuki Students’ Organization (KSO-CHQ).
NSF in a press statement issued jointly by its vice-president, Atokiho Sumi, and general secretary, Shipuning Philo, said it stands with the democratically agitating tribal students’ community of Manipur whose sole aspiration was for the “constitutionally guaranteed rights” of the tribal populace in the State to be respected and upheld in toto by the State government.
It said that the NSF in no way recognizes the arbitrarily drawn artificial boundaries which have placed the Naga people under various administrative units within India and beyond.
However, the compulsions of the time have forced the Naga people, wherever they are placed, to fightfor their dignity to be respected by all opposing forces leading to repressive measures being thrust upon them by the dominant groups and incidents such as this one is a reflection of the same, added the NSF.
Further, condemning the unlawful arrest of the student leaders and fearing for their wellbeing while being in police custody, NSF has assured for prayers and to extend all its possible support to secure unconditional and immediate release of the detained student leaders.
