Nagaland students demonstrate against Army killings, demand repeal of AFSPA

People attend a mass funeral of civilians killed by Indian security forces on December 4 after firing on a truck. Pic/AFP

The Naga Students' Federation (NSF) and The Eastern Naga Students Federation (ENSF) Thursday demonstrated outside the Raj Bhavan here against the killing of 13 civilians by the Army in Mon district and demanded the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

They demanded that the "draconian act" be repealed once and for all and that human rights be restored in the state.

The actvists carried placards some of which read 'Repeal the draconian law - Armed Forces Special Powers Act', 'Nagas have every right to live in peace' and 'We stand in solidarity with our Naga brethrens - The innocent civilians who were brutally killed at Oting village, Mon district'.

They also burnt effigies of security forces and shouted slogans 'Repeal AFSPA'.

The student unions demanded that the Centre set up a court monitored committee headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court Judge for an impartial probe into the Mon firing.

They sought the identification of the army personnel involved in the incident and demanded that they be "booked for the highest level of punishment".

They also demanded that the action taken against the perpetrators be made public.

NSF president Kegwayhun Tep addressing the gathering said the killing took place at a time when the Naga people from across the region come together to celebrate their rich cultural heritage and identity through the Hornbill Festival and wait to celebrate Christmas.

He demanded that the Centre immediately stop its "policy of militarisation of the north east region".

"We cannot allow this draconian law to cause further terror in our homeland," Tep said adding that as long as the "draconian" AFSPA remains in force in the state, the land and its people will be tormented by fear and uncertainty.

The AFSPA,1958 is one of the more draconian legislations that the Parliament has passed in its 75 years of being, said former NSF president Chuba Ozukum.

Also read: Nagaland MP raises Oting violence issue in RS, demands AFSPA repeal

He recalled that as the then president of the student body, he had staged a sit-in demanding repeal of Act some 25 years ago at the same place.

The enforcement of AFSPA has resulted in innumerable incidents of arbitrary detention, torture, rape, and looting by security personnel in Nagaland and the north eastern region, he claimed and said the Centre keeps extending AFSPA in Nagaland every six months but fails to take into account the ground reality.

If the country is trying to become a permanent member of the United Nation's Security Council, it should "first do away with the outdated and draconian AFSPA ...

This inhuman law has lost its relevance in a civilised society and its applicability has no place in the modern world. AFSPA must be repealed if the Government of

India truly honours the Naga peace process and a peaceful solution to the vexed Indo-Naga political talks," Ozukum said.
ENSF president Chingmak Kumchuba Chang said the firing by the Army at Mon on innocent villagers showed the complete failure of intelligence and cannot be

termed as an incident caused by mistaken identity, he said.

He also called upon all Nagas to unite and fight for the repealing of AFSPA.

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