AFSPA should be repealed from Naga homeland: NSF

April 3, 2022 50 Views No Comment

Dimapur, April 2 (MExN): Even as the central government announced the reduction of disturbed areas under Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Nagaland with effect from April 1, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has termed the move as a “ploy of the Government of India (GoI) to please some few sections of the North-Eastern people.”

“While there is no denying that areas falling under 15 police stations in the state of Nagaland is set to benefit from the above stated policy of the GoI, the Federation is appalled that a major chunk of the Naga homeland spread across the four Indian States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland are yet again classified as ‘Disturbed Areas,’” it said in a press communiqué on Saturday.

It escapes the reasoning of the Federation as to what yardsticks were used to lift the Act from certain areas of the NE region as police stations within the Naga homeland which have almost perfect law and order record(s) thereby projecting a relatively peaceful and tranquil environment are completely left out, it added.

Outrightly rejecting the ‘ploy,’ NSF President Kegwayhun Tep and General Secretary Süpuni Ng Philo stated that the Federation would continue its endeavour to ensure that the ‘inhumane Act’ is repealed by the GoI or completely lifted from the entire Naga Homeland.

“Towards achieving this end, the Federation shall be undertaking a series of democratic agitation(s) in consonance with the collective aspiration of the Naga people,” it asserted.

The NSF went on to state that the GoI’s move was “rubbing more salt into the wounds of the Naga people who are still reeling under the shock of the Oting incidents,” while wondering as to whether the GoI “has any regard or respect for the lives, emotions and sentiments of the Naga people.”

Reiterating its earlier stand that the “Naga people does not merit the Act,” the NSF denounced the “very oppressive, repressive and inhuman instrument being used by the GoI to further their colonial mindset of subjugating and dividing the Naga people.”

Condemns act of high handedness

Meanwhile, the NSF also condemned the “act of armed forces high handedness” at Chasa village of Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh wherein two young Naga youths— Nokphua Wangpan and Ramwang Wangsu, “were critically injured when 12 Para Special Forces fired upon without any warning whatsoever.”

“Such acts of the Indian Armed forces trampling upon the dignity, existence, freedom and happiness of the Naga people without any remorse under the protection of AFSPA cannot be accepted by the Federation in particular and the Naga people in general,” it said while demanding for justice.

It further reminded the Naga people “to refrain from extending any sort of co-operation towards the Indian Armed Forces or para-military forces until AFSPA is repealed or completely lifted from the Naga homeland.”