Our Correspondent
Kohima, Dec. 20 (EMN): Nagaland legislators on Monday voiced out in unison for withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 in the state during the one day “special Assembly session” which was summoned following the killing of14 civilians by the security personnel in Mon district earlier this month.
Participating in the discussion on AFSPA, BJP legislator and Minister P Paiwang Konyak observed that now is the appropriate moment to repeal AFSPA and Disturbed Area Act (DAA) in the state and the Northeastern state.
According to Paiwang, Nagaland is now witnessing peace except a few rare cases of extortions and illegal taxation here and there. Therefore, he supported the citizens demanding the Central government to repeal both the Acts from the state of Nagaland.
Paiwang, who is the first minister to have visited the Oting incident, raised apprehension at the army’s claim of “incredible intelligence failure” and “mistaken identity” but left it to the SIT.
Though he had witnessed the ground realities, his conclusions to the tragic incident could be misleading as a layman on the investigating role, he said and added that he has confidence in the high-level SIT constituted by the state government. The minister further expressed his support to the ENPO’s demand.
Temjen Imna Along
Nagaland State BJP President and minister, Temjen Imna Along said that the Mon incident had brought back the atrocities meted out to the people of the state under the act.
‘Sometimes, we cannot even comprehend the act which gives impunity to the armed forces to create havoc and steal and disturbed the peace of the innocent people’, he said.
“Stealing away the lives of people and yet goes caught free’, he said and added that no amount of compensation will be able to compensate for the loss of lives.
‘We shall stand together and make our voice known as the people of Nagaland condemning and voicing out that this act should be repealed from any country’, he added.
Neiba Kronu
Minister and NDPP legislator, Neiba Kronu said that it is the responsibility of the state government and elected members to tell the government of India and central leaders that by applying force will not bring a solution. Anything can be resolved through trust and understanding.
“We must tell the government of India, Northeast people and negotiating parties that enough is enough. We have suffered enough. The past is painful and we must resolve the issue”, he said.
The purpose for which all 60 legislators have come together should not be defeated. He called upon all to put more effort to bring about a solution to the Naga political issue. He further appealed to churches to pray for India, negotiating parties and leaders of the day.
CL John
MLA CL John said that AFSPA is to fight terrorism and not to kill civilians. He observed that the Northeast is a “permanent place” for AFSPA. “Are we not protected by the Constitution of India or are we treated as second class citizens?” He posed and demanded that the need of the hour is to deliver justice.
He also criticised the statement made by the Union Home minister, Amit Shah and said “he (Shah) himself was confused” and that his statement needs to be reviewed. He further reacted that the incident cannot be a mistaken identity or intelligence failure as claimed and appealed to the centre to revoke AFSPA.
Pukhayi Sumi
Advisor Pukhayi Sumi pointed out that the main issue is how to remove the AFSPA, being the law of Parliament which gives authority to the army. The army in turn is acting upon the Nagas by ways of “inhuman treatment”. He warned that similar incidents would take place in other parts of Nagaland if AFSPA continues.
“Laws and policies are to protect the citizens. But this law is not and never a good law”, he said and appealed to the upper and lower houses to think over the law. If a solution to the Naga political issue comes, he believes that AFSPA will be removed. But if the solution cannot take place, he observes and understands that the act will continue.
He called upon the legislators and government of the day to have a consultation with the leaders of the North Eastern states and sought their support in voicing against AFSPA.
G Kaito
Independent legislator and minister, G Kaito said that Nagaland as a state should be treated like one and added that it is high time AFSPA is repealed. Nagaland is a peaceful state barring a few incidents of taxations and extortion. The government of India must understand people’s cry and respond to it accordingly. He also warned that if such kinds of killings take place in the future, India would appear ugly in the eyes of the world.
Yitachu
NPF MLA Yitachu also queried as to whether the Constitution of India is supreme or AFSPA is supreme?
He alleged that the fundamental rights are denied so long AFSPA is enforced. It is unfortunate that “every six months I am reminded that this constitution does not apply to me because of the act. I am reminded 112 times that the Constitution of India does not protect me”, he claimed.
AFSPA is a “monster” and has no place in a democratic country like India. This will completely destroy the basic system of democracy if not repealed, he added.
Kuzholuzo Nienu
Senior NPF legislator Kuzholuzo Nienu also suggested follow up action to the incident. Sensitise and mobilise support of all NGOs, political parties which are already in place.
He also suggested that the government should convince the NEDA Chairman on the issue and convene a joint meeting of all Northeast states. Let the chief ministers and members of parliament of these states address a press conference in Delhi to sensitise the nation. Immediately after which, all NE CMs and MPs call on the prime minister for repealing the act.
Dr. Chumben Murry
NPF legislator, Dr. Chumben Murry maintained that the dark side of Indian democracy created by the AFSPA is such that, horrendous acts of omission and commission have been committed under the Act and has caused mistrust, fear and untold miseries on the people of the state.
Rather than suppressing insurgency, it resulted in more confrontations with more and more casualties on both sides. Thus AFSPA only further alienated the people of the state from the rest of the country, he observed.
He added that a “at a time when people were hopeful that solution is around the corner, the unfortunate gruesome massacre in Oting; Mon district by a group of Army para commandos led by a major created confusions in the minds of the people as to the sincerity of the Central government as far as the Naga political issue is concerned”.
“Who will voice the rights of our Nagas if not the elected representatives of the people. Who will stand for what is honourable and what is not, if we do not do it, Who will speak on what is acceptable and what is not, if not us”, he posed further and supported for resolution to withdrawal of AFSPA in the state.
Dr. Chotisuh Sazo
NPF MLA, Dr. Chotisuh Sazo demanded that AFSPA should be repealed from Nagaland and the entire NE states as it violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the convention against torture in which India is a signatory.
In the late 50s entire villages in Naga inhabited areas have been burnt to ashes not once or twice but some villages were burnt down up to even 7 times. Thousands killed, women raped, and all the villagers gathered in a particular place akin to concentration camps, he narrated.
He recalled the massacre of the entire male population of Matikhru village on Sep. 16, 1960, except for one person, who escaped to tell the tale. The tales of Oinam incident between July and October 1987 are too horrid to narrate, many men were maimed, tortured and women raped. In 1995, 16 Rashtriya Rifles convoy shot at civilians in Kohima city in which 7 were killed and many were injured, Sazo went on to relate.
The government needs to bring a scientific and humanitarian approach towards solving the socio-economic areas rather than implement the AFSPA. He urged all the members to unitedly stand for the repeal of the black law from Nagaland and NE states.
Imkong L Imchen
Senior NPF MLA, Imkong L Imchen, said the “genocide” committed on Dec. 4 2021 at Oting village is one of the most glaring examples of the thousand genocides committed by the Indian security forces during the last 70 years , and yet Nagas continue their struggle with more determination and zeal.
He was of the view that the operation appeared to be having a wider and deeper conspiracy. By committing this massacre they “intend to derail the ongoing Ceasefire between the NSCN and GOI”.
“If this is proved to be right I understand that this is also another error being adopted by the security forces which is directly negating the policy of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Because to bring about a Political Settlement is his most important priority”, he observed.
According to the senior NPF legislator, the incident firing at Oting village is a “well and pre-planned” incident. The case should be thoroughly probed and investigated by a competent authority even higher than the state SIT, he added.
On the Naga political issue, he said that it has been almost 25 years since the peace talks started in 1997. Till date there is no sign of any progress being made out of this countless rounds of Talks. It is high time the results of such talks should come out in the public domain, he said.
Vikheho Swu
MLA Y Vikheho Swu said that revocation of AFSPA from all Naga areas and removing it from Indian law would give a much-needed boost to the peace talks, paving the way for the final settlement.
He added that the peace process should be a time to build trust, to reconcile not only among Nagas but also between the Indians and the Nagas.
“The Naga political groups have been in political negotiations with the government of India since the ceasefire of 1997. The final settlement is yet to be reached even after 24 years of Peace talks,” he said.
‘One reason (for delay in solution) may be that the talks are being held under an umbrella of distrust and oppression with Acts such as AFSPA and disturbed area tag hanging over our heads like the sword of Damocles in Greek mythology,’ he said.