Nagas protest inter-factional clashes by underground groups

Naga people from all walks of life today came to the streets protesting inter-factional clashes and harassment meted out to the public by armed Naga underground groups in the state capital.
Naga Students' Federation (NSF), an apex students' body in Nagaland, organised the rally against the assassination bid on one of its officials by a cadre of NSCN Khole-Kitovi faction here on June 25.
The NSF was demanding that such acts should be denounced and the accused penalised as per the law.
The demonstrators converged in the heart of Kohima town holding placards and banners demanding that the Naga underground groups should stop harassing innocent people in the name of Naga freedom movement.

They also demanded that the armed underground cadres should go to the jungles.
Delivering the key note address, NSF president Tongpang Ozukum denounced the insane act of the armed cadres and said that Nagas would not be terrorised by any inside or outside forces.

Naga Hoho vice president Inakha Assumi extending solidarity with the NSF reminded the Naga underground groups that the 1951 Plebiscite was signed to fight for Naga sovereignty and not to kill each other.
Other groups which participated in the protest were the Naga Mother's Association (NMA) and the Angami Youth Organisation (AYO).
The federation also submitted a memorandum to the State Government and an ultimatum to various Naga underground groups to direct all the cadres irrespective of factions to be confined within their respective designated camps and monitor free movement of armed cadres in civilian areas.

As a mark of solidarity, business establishments remained closed till noon while vehicular movement came to grinding halt for almost two hours.