UNC, ANSAM flay firing on Naga civilians
Source: Chronicle News Service / NNN
Senapati, March 19 2024:
United Naga Council (UNC) termed as 'belligerent provocation' the indiscriminate firing by 6 Assam Rifles upon Naga civilians especially the women folks at Chingkao (Makuai) village in Tamenglong district on March 14 .
In a statement, UNC condemned the "heinous act" of the Assam Rifles, disrupting peaceful atmosphere in the area.
"Such chilling campaigns of the Indian security forces under the patroni-sation of the Government of India, waging undeclared war upon the Naga people have been going on for decades without ceasing under the draconian law of AFSPA, 1958," it said.
UNC alleged that "It is one of the cruellest crimes mighty India has committed before the world in the history of mankind".
With time and the change of leadership, Naga people expected and hoped for a change -forging towards a logical resolution of the political issue between the "two entities and treating each other with human dignity and with mutual trust and respect" .
The Naga body added, "But all this while, wanton killings, chilling military campaigns in Naga areas and often betrayal and backtracking on the part of the Government of India remains constant till today which is truly disheartening".
UNC reminded that in Manipur, where two communities are engaged in a bitter conflict for over 10 months, relative peace can be only seen in the Naga villages.
"Now, the question is what has prompted the Assam Rifles to target the peaceful Naga civilians? What could be their intention? " the Naga body asked.
UNC then urged the Government of India to take necessary steps to stop "all these unwarranted provocations" once and for all.
It also demanded initiation of befitting action against the "reckless officers" responsible for the said incident.
While out-rightly rejecting the extension and enforcement of the controversial Armed Forces' Special Power Act (AFSPA), 1958 in Naga homeland, All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) also condemned alleged indiscriminate firing by 6 Assam Rifles troopers upon Naga women at Chingkao village on March 14 .
In a condemnation note, ANSAM said that the indiscriminate firing by 6 Assam Rifles troopers not only created panic among civilians but also disturbed the peaceful atmosphere in the area.
Such archaic attempt and unlawful activities towards the innocent Nagas are crystal clear evidences of misuse of power under the draconian law (AFSPA) by Indian armed machineries, it said.
According to ANSAM, the denial of Government of India to hear the voice of the people against continued imposition of AFSPA has created a considerable room for human rights violation under the pretext of protection by its enforcement in peace areas.
It also said that the Nagas have been maintaining peace by extending fullest cooperation in the efforts to restore normalcy in the present volatile situation.
The notoriety and intentional attempt of Assam Rifles towards the Nagas by resorting to indiscriminate gun firing on womenfolk at Chingkao village was highly condemnable, ANSAM said and questioned as to why the paramilitary force is not intervening for peace between the two warring communities rather than targeting the Nagas who have been maintaining peace in the state.
ANSAM demanded that the draconian law (AFSPA) be repealed from Naga homeland and said that the government of India should uphold the principle of democracy.
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