EMN
DIMAPUR, JULY 3
The Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) has urged Chief Minister, TR Zeliang, who is also the chairman of the “Joint Legislators Forum,” to work towards bringing a ceasefire agreement between the government of India and NSCN-K “in the interest of peace and security of the people.”
In a statement issued today, the NMA stated that it has serious concerns on the prevailing situation of the Ceasefire abrogation by the NSCN (K), and the incidents of violence, killings and build up of increasing militarization in Naga areas, including the state of Nagaland.
“The NMA reiterates its long standing demand for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the state of Nagaland, at the earliest. The decades of unwarranted militarization, violence and killings and immunity, under the AFSPA, has brought its heaviest toll on women and children, making Nagaland one of the states with the highest number of war widows in the country,” it stated.
The Naga women have narrated our bitter experiences under militarization and raised our strong objections on Armed Forces Special Powers Act when we before the Justice Verma Committee in New Delhi, which led to the Recommendations for the Repeal of the AFSPA by the Committee, it reminded. “Therefore, the NMA urges the State Government to recommend for the repeal of this draconian law at the earliest, to ensure a peaceful, democratic atmosphere and an end to continuing militarization and conflict.”
It also demanded the state government to “bring back” all the Naga IRB forces posted in different parts of the country including Kashmir, West Bengal and Delhi, to maintain law and order and security in the state and recommend for the withdrawal of all Armed and Para Military forces from the state of Nagaland.
“This demand is being placed before your esteemed office because as mothers, we have experienced and witnessed so much of unnecessary violence and deaths of our own children as well as Indian armed forces posted in our lands,” it reasoned.
The state government has thousands of trained police forces in these IRBs who can maintain law and order and the security of its citizens, without the heavy presence of both Indian armed and paramilitary forces, who also have suffered for decades and lost many lives being posted here, because of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which has justified their presence, the NMA stated.
It hoped that the state government would prove “its commitment for a sustainable Peace” and an end to the decades of conflict by taking due cognizance of the voices of Naga women, who form a strong opinion, as half of the state population.
“We echo the voices and cries of every family that has suffered in the longest decades of prolonged conflict .We also hope that as men of honor, elected to represent the people, the esteemed Joint Legislators Forum will take due cognizance of this memorandum and work to create a democratic atmosphere to usher lasting peace in our land.”
