Nagaland: Mass rally in Peren demands immediate release of Manipur’s Naga hostages
Reported Bhadra Gogoi
Dimapur: A mass public rally under the banner “Bring Them Home” was organised by the Zeliangrong Baudi Nagaland (ZBN), an apex civil organisation of Nagaland representing the Zeme, Liangmai, and Rongmei Naga tribes, at Jalukie in Peren district on Friday to protest the abduction of six Naga men allegedly by Kuki militants in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on May 13 and to demand their safe release.
The abducted persons reportedly belong to the Liangmai tribe.
Holding placards, thousands of people from different communities and organisations gathered at the rally to express solidarity with the affected families and demand the safe return of the hostages.
Speakers at the rally demanded that the authorities take immediate action to trace the missing men and ensure their safe release.
After the rally, a representation was submitted to the Nagaland Governor seeking his immediate intervention to secure the safe release of the six men.
The representation, signed by leaders of 11 Zeliangrong civil society organisations of Nagaland, including the ZBN, maintained that the current unrest in Manipur is bound to affect the entire region.
It said the six innocent Naga hostages, including two pastors who were abducted along with 12 other Naga civilians, are still in the custody of the alleged Kuki militants.
The representation said that although 12 of the abducted persons, including a baby, were later released, the whereabouts of the remaining six are still not known, adding that they might also have been killed.
The ZBN, along with civil society organisations of Peren, also demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the abduction.