The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur, rejected the Kuki-Zo Council’s apology over the killing of six abducted Naga civilians, insisting that only the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible can deliver justice
Impahl: The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has rejected the apology issued by the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) over the killing of six abducted Naga civilians, stating that the statement “neither constitutes an apology nor an admission” of responsibility and cannot replace legal accountability.
In a statement issued on June 25, ANSAM said the apology would remain unacceptable until those responsible for the abduction and killing of the six men are identified, arrested and prosecuted. “Justice cannot be supplanted by rhetoric, nor can accountability be substituted by carefully crafted declarations bereft of legal consequence,” the association said.
ANSAM also objected to the use of the term “Katcha Nagas”, calling it historically inaccurate and offensive. It questioned whether the Kuki-Zo Council had the mandate to issue the apology or speak on behalf of all communities under the Kuki-Zo nomenclature.
The association further rejected allegations linking Nagas to the killing of three Thadou church leaders, describing such claims as baseless and intended to fuel communal tensions.
Meanwhile, the Naga People’s Network Forum (NPNF) also condemned the use of the term “Katcha Naga” and demanded its immediate withdrawal along with an unconditional public apology.
In response, KZC clarified that its chairman’s expression of regret was made purely on humanitarian grounds and “must not… be misconstrued as an admission, confession, or acknowledgement that the killings were perpetrated by the Kuki-Zo community.” The council urged authorities to conduct an impartial investigation into all acts of violence.
The six Naga civilians were abducted on May 13 and their mutilated bodies were recovered on June 10. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has since taken over the case amid growing demands for justice.
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