WNSU calls Oting ruling ‘endorsement of brutality’

DIMAPUR — The Wesean Naga Students’ Union (WNSU) has condemned the Supreme Court’s ruling quashing criminal proceedings against the army personnel responsible for the Oting massacre.

In a press statement, WNSU said that the decision is not just another “legal misstep” but a “blatant endorsement of state-sponsored brutality” and added that it reinforces the unchecked impunity that the Indian Army and Assam Rifles have long enjoyed.

Stating that the massacre was not an accident, it said that “the Indian state has a long history of shielding its military from accountability under draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)” and claimed that the ruling is a statement that “Wesean lives do not matter”.

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“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,” it said.

The WNSU demanded immediate accountability for the Oting massacre and for every other atrocity committed against the people of Wesea, noting that 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,” it read.