Criticizes occupation of villages in Ukhrul by Armed Forces
17th September, 2022
NEFIS CRITICIZES THE OCCUPATION OF 9 VILLAGES IN UKHRUL DISTRICT BY ARMED FORCES!
DEMANDS THAT ARMED PERSONNEL SHOULD IMMEDIATELY VACATE THE VILLAGES!
DEMANDS IMMEDIATE REPEAL OF DRACONIAN AFSPA!
North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) strongly criticizes the occupation of 9 villages in the Ukhrul district of Manipur by the Armed Forces in recent days. It should be noted that the occupation of the villages has been done without the consent of the Naga Village councils and the Tangkhul people, who are the inhabitants of the land which has been occupied.
As per reports, the armed forces have occupied public spaces such as playgrounds, schools, children's homes, and community halls, which have been converted into camps, thereby hindering their usual functioning. Moreover, even private properties have been occupied. Security posts have been set up in villages and inhabitants of the occupied villages are being subjected to daily harassment. The occupation of lands in the 9 villages is contrary to the constitutional provisions and exposes utter disregard for the rights of the people in the North-East.
Such incidents of occupation of lands and harassment of civilians have been a regular feature in the North-East region with the imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). It has been alleged that the impunity enjoyed by the armed forces under AFSPA has been used to strike terror into the population of the region, such that people are forced to live in constant fear of their lives.
In this context, the killing of coalmine workers in Oting village of Mon district in Nagaland is illustrative. Last year, the security forces personnel opened fire on a vehicle carrying coalmine workers in Oting village, Mon, Nagaland, allegedly taking them to be the personnel of a militant outfit.
The brutal killing by the armed forces personnel had sparked outrage among the people, who have been seeing the impunity enjoyed by the security forces in the region under AFSPA as the prime cause of the killings. Even the central government had expressed its regret after the killings, but even now the perpetrators of the killings have not been brought to justice.
NEFIS stands for protecting the democratic rights of the people and demands that the central government should ensure that the armed forces immediately vacate the villages which have been occupied. The organization also demands that no decision concerning the people in the North-East be taken without the active consent of the people involved.
Above all, NEFIS also calls for demilitarization of the region and immediate repeal of the draconian law, AFSPA. NEFIS would be intensifying its campaign against militarization in the North-East in the coming days.
Thokchom Yaiphalembi Chanu
Member
North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS)
* This Press Release was sent to e-pao.net by North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) who can be contacted at nefis(DOT)delhi(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This Press Release was posted on 18 September 2022
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