Northeast student body condemns bomb blast outside office of Manipur student body

The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) today issued a condemnation of the bomb blast that took place outside the office of the All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) on February 23. 

The NESO which comprises 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 movement in the seven North Eastern states, said that it is "deeply perturbed and strongly condemned the bomb blast which took place on the 23rd Feb, 2024 at around 9:30 PM inside the campus of the All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) located at DM University Campus, Thangmeiband, Imphal, resulting to the loss of one precious life of a student Mr. Oinam Kenejy, a student of DM College and serious injury to another student Mr. Salam Michael who is also a student of DM College." 

The NESO also expressed its serious concern by the series of the events unfolding in which the office of a prominent social organisation like the UCM was burned down including the Macha Leima School, the vandalising of other social organisations offices, ransacking and vandalising of the residence of Mr. Sinam Prakash, the Advisor of NESO. As a premier Students’ Organisation, AMSU siad that it has always maintained a non-political identity and has never condoned violence in any form. 

"At this critical juncture, it is very important for the general public to guide and to ensure that AMSU continue to remain a non-political organisation committed to a non-violence method of movement. These events have created confusion and fear psychosis in the minds of the students and general public. NESO, calls for calm and sense to prevail so that normalcy can be restored and at the same time, strongly urged upon the Government to deal with the situation with all the seriousness it deserves, to maintain law and order and to bring the perpetrators to book," said the NESO in a statement. 

The NESO further said that the Government should continue with the ongoing peace process and at the same time to take initiatives to have dialogue with all the other outfits for a political solution which is acceptable to all for the protection and uplift of the indigenous people of Manipur which will result to a lasting peace. 

It may be worth mentioning that last year, NESO has initiated a peace mission during the violence in Manipur, as such, it will continue with this peace mission and it believes all the concerned stakeholders to take cognisance and support the initiative for peace in Manipur.