NESO to Prez, PM: Ensure NE residents’ safety

SHILLONG, FEB 14: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) has submitted a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, through the governors of the seven states, urging them to intervene to ensure proper and effective investigation into the assaults and atrocities on the students of north eastern region staying in Delhi that recently led to the death of Nido Taniam, an Arunachal Pradesh student in the country’s capital.

The NESO, which submitted the memorandum to their respective state governors, on Friday, requested the president and prime minister to also ensure the safety of the NE students in particular and the people of the region staying in Delhi.

NESO comprising of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Mizo Zirlai  Pawl (MZP), Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF), All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU) and All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) representing eight major students’ movements of NE states reminded them of the recent incident in Delhi on January 29  where Taniam was beaten to death.

The NESO president Samuel Jyrwa said in the memorandum that incidents of assaults, molestations on NE students and people are happening on a frequent basis resulting in the feeling of insecurity especially to the women.  The memorandum stated that such attacks have been amplified by the assault on two women belonging to the Thangkhul Naga community, rape of one minor girl from Manipur at Munirka on February 8, physical assault of two Manipur boys on February 10. All these incidents happened, the NESO memo said,  took place just a few days after the murder of the student from Arunachal Pradesh.

Pointing out that though such incidents have been vehemently denounced by the government at different levels, but the north east communities continue to live in shock and panic as the unabated attack and assault continues against the north east communities.

NESO also reminded the assurance given by the Prime Minister on November 15, 2009 that he had directed concerned authorities to take stern action against the culprits and to take special measures for the physical security of the North East students, but crimes against the students from the region continues.

The memorandum further requested for the President and Prime Minister’s urgent intervention and to do the needful to ensure effective measures by the concerned authorities that could provide the NE students and people with mental, social and physical security studying and residing in Delhi and other parts of India.

NESO also demanded proper and swift high level enquiry into such incidents and to give exemplary punishment to the people who are involved in attacking the people of NE region. – By Our Reporter