NEDF urges authority to take measures for safety of civilians in aftermath of Signing Indo-Naga peace deal
Source: IT News

Imphal, October 29 2019: Fearing unprecedented violence in the aftermath of the final settlement of the Indo-Naga peace deal, the North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) has urged the authority to immediately form a Committee with representatives from Government and Civilians to monitor the indicators of anticipated violence and/ human rights violations by both negotiating parties during the negotiation process and during the signing period of the Agreement.

A statement of the NEDF also appealed all concerns engaging in the peace deal to respect provisions of Article 19, 21, 22, 14 and others of the Constitution of India and allow the civilian population to exercise their freedom of speech, movement, association, peaceful assembly and not turn to invoking various sections of the I.P.C.and CrPC and AFSPA to silence the majority who totally are out of sync with the whole process of peace negotiations.

The forum also appealed the Government of India to respect the UN Declaration on Rights of the Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP, 2007) and to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent of the people for deploying so much security forces with frequent frisking by State and central security forces thereby driving a fear psychosis in the minds of the public who have to move here and there for means of livelihood, studies, etc.

The NEDF also appealed the authority to invite CSOs from various ethnic communities of the region that may affect to make the official peace negotiations very inclusive besides, providing space to a substantial number of women to participate in the negotiating process.

The forum also urged to seek opinions of victims of extrajudicial execution, involuntary disappearances, of rape, child soldiers, land mine survivors, and victims of undeclared war between the NSCN and Govt.forces for the last so many decades and that they be included in the Framework Negotiations.

The NEDP also urged to make it mandatory for para-military forces deployed in Manipur and Nagaland to be under the supervision of the respective State Police including Women Police, while appealing to put the negotiated Framework to be put in public domain with the inevitability of public referendum within a given time frame before it is signed, declared and implemented.

The above points were urged in view of the disagreements among the different negotiating groups as to what would be the final outcome of this process and the series of protest in Manipur fearing disintegration of Manipur.

NEDF expressed apprehension that violence may occur between the negotiating parties or parties not part of the negotiating process and even parties not agreeing to this process.

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