AAPSU leaders
AAPSU president Hawa Bagang and general secretary Tobom Dai addressing the media. File Image - Northeast Now

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has called upon the state as well as the government at the Center to demonstrate strong “political will” and resolve the insurgency issue that torments the Tirap, Changlang and Longding (TCL) region once and for all.

Referring to recent killings of Khonsa West MLA Tirong Aboh and 10 others on May 21 and that of former Longchan Block ZPM Seliam Wangsa and NPP worker Jaley Anna in Tirap district earlier this year, the AAPSU said these incidents have crossed every limit of tolerance and has taken a cancerous turn.

What is more unfortunate is that like every time there is no headway in the investigation, the Union which sat for its central executive meeting here opined.

“The incident of unabated killing, ransom demand and extortion, taxing government employees from their hard earned salary by different insurgent groups and exerting a parallel system of administration is not new in the TCL region. Every successive government in the State and Centre very well knows these facts; however, they have left the common masses to fetch for themselves in the hand of such non-state players,” the AAPSU said.

The Union also termed the killings of MLA Aboh and 10 others a “political murder” and condemned the cowardice act in its strongest words.

Demanding the Narendra Modi and Pema Khandu led BJP governments at the Centre and State to immediately evict insurgency and secure the TLC region, the AAPSU at the same time also demanded that a fast-track investigation by the National Investigation Agency be initiated in the killings so that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are nabbed and the culprits are brought before public domain at the earliest.

The AAPSU has, meanwhile, announced to organize a candlelight vigil in all the district headquarters of the State to condemn the gruesome killings.

“The union would soon call on the state government and submit a memorandum in this regard,” the AAPSU said.

Damien Lepcha is Northeast Now Correspondent in Arunachal Pradesh. He can be reached at: [email protected]