Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 01:
The Naga National Party (NNP) has heartily welcomed the cease-fire extension between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) for another year with effect from today.
We appreciate the GOI and the NSCN (IM) for their firm determination to bring peaceful and lasting solution to the vexed Indo-Naga issue.
We hope that this peace process will usher in peaceful negotiated solution to the aspirations of the people; Nagas in particular, said a NNP statement.
The NNP urges both the parties to leave no stone unturned to bring early, peaceful and lasting solution in order to facilitate people to live in peace.
On the other hand, the NNP wants that AFSPA be repealed immediately and for good.
Because, the people of this region have tasted the goods and the bads for the last 46 years.
The innocent people of North East India have been experiencing tremendous stress under AFSPA, it added.
When the AFSPA was passed by the Indian Parliament, it was meant to suppress the Nagas political movement.
Later it has been promulgated to almost all the states of NE India to contain insurgency movements, iterated that NNP.
It also decried that the main purpose of passing and imposing the AFSPA in the NE Region being to contain/suppress the insurgency movement through counter insurgency operations, have proved suicidal.
Instead of serving the purpose, it has violated human right openly.
The powers that has been conferred in this Act have been misused by the enforcing agencies of the Act.
The imposition of this act to subdue the insurgency movement have not been able to gain any stand.
More and more insurgent groups have come up to operate in the region.
This comes as a retaliation to excesses committed by the security forces with the special powers provided in the AFSPA.
This act has been looked upon as a draconian act to harass, torture and kill her own people without any prove of crimes, added the statement.
Today, the whole people in the region have raised their voices against the AFSPA, to withdraw it from their respective states.
The women, the young and the old are crying for they can no longer tolerate the excesses committed against their dear ones and against themselves.
The NNP, therefore, demand that the state Government as well as the centre take strong and immediate decision to repeal the AFSPA without further delay.
While condemning in strongest term against those who misuses the powers, the NNP questioned to the state and Central Govts whether they love and care for their citizens.
If they are there for the people, it should not be difficult for them to feel the pains of the citizens, the suffering of the innocent people, for whom the Govts are supposed to be existing.
The centre should address regional aspiration than the National interests if they want to rule the nation peacefully.
The NNP expect that the Centre Govt.