Naga bodies urge PM to roll back AFSPA
Source: The Sangai Express

Dimapur, November 05 2016: Three important Naga organisations have apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi "to withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from all Naga areas." Naga Students' Federation (NSF) president Subenthung Kithan, Naga Mothers' Association (NMA) president Abieu Meru and Naga People's Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) secretary general Neingulo Krome in their joint representation to the Prime Minister today said that ever since the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was enacted in 1958, "which is none others but an extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Ordinance of 1940, used by the British colonials to suppress the Indian civil disobedience movement, the Naga people have undergone untold sufferings which need no elaboration" .

The representation added that side by side, the Government of India has also entered into ceasefire agreements and peace negotiations with various 'Naga political groups' over the past decades, some of which are continuing till date.

The Naga bodies stated that even in the midst of ceasefires and peace negotiations, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act continues to prevail against the very spirit of the peace processes.

Naga bodies urge PM to roll back AFSPA

"When we the undersigned sought audience with you a few months back, it was to apprise you of a particular incident, known as the "Wuzu Firing" in which two very young students were killed by the Assam Rifles last year on July 16, 2015.But with all due respect, we will not get into any further details, as it will only embarrass your esteemed self for no fault of yours," the representation said.

In the meantime, another incident took place just a couple of weeks ago, in which the Assam Rifles personnel forcibly occupied a Church in Mekokla village under Wokha district on October 22, 2016, against the directive of the Supreme Court and even in the midst of protests from the Church leaders and villagers, after which they attacked a column of Naga army who are in ceasefire with your Government and killed one of them and injured another, the very next day, it further said.

"Therefore sir, while thanking you so much for the time you have given us although after a long time, as much as we understand your time constraints, we take this opportunity to urge you to withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from all Naga areas, which is not even relevant with the peace processes," it added.

While also acknowledging the positive developments in the political talks, the Naga bodies said that they also "strongly urged upon your Government" to expedite and further accelerate the Indo-Naga political negotiations and bring the talk to a logical conclusion.