Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), which launched a three-day phase-I agitation on Wednesday against the imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and Disturbed Areas Act (DAA), has extended the agitation till August 11 and hold a mass rally in Kohima on that day. The proposed rally would be spearheaded by NSF and supported by Naga Hoho, Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA).
In this regard, the NSF has informed its federating units and sub-ordinate bodies to strictly adhere to the call till August 11. As part of phase-I agitation, NSF had directed all its federating and sub-ordinate units to display/wear black badges in all the educational institutions in Naga inhabited areas from August 3-5, 2016.
Addressing media persons at NSF office here on Wednesday, the federation’s president Subenthung Kithan said as per the decision of the action plan committee, the phase-I agitation ended well. He said though agitation was proposed to end on August 5, the committee has however decided to extend till August 11.
Taking strong note of the alleged threat received by Pochury Students Union (PSU) president through phone calls and text messages besides legal notice from the Assam Rifles, the NSF president said a consultative meeting was held on July 25. At that meeting, it was decided to come up with an action plan comprising of NSF, NPMHR, Naga Hoho and NMA. The meeting also endorsed Angami Students’ Union (ASU) to meet the lawyer of AR and resolve the issue.
Since 1958, Kithan said Nagas have been facing untold suffering under AFSPA. He said the security forces who were supposed to be protecting the citizens were not sparing even the innocent students, adding that now student leaders have been targeted.
According to NSF president, on August 11 the rally would be simultaneously held in all the headquarters of its federating units and sub-ordinate bodies in collaboration with the tribal Hohos and mother associations. Kithan said a memorandum would be submitted to the chief minister after the rally.
Naga Hoho general secretary Mutsikhoyo Yhobu said NH extended its full support to the NSF and the ongoing agitation and the proposed rally. He said the AR show cause notice demanding unconditional apology was an insult to the Nagas.
Questioning how long will the government of India continue to impose such draconian law in Naga areas, Yhobu said “when a peace talk has been on, another draconian law has been implemented at the same time, what kind of peace dialogue is this, we don’t understand”. Also, extending solidarity to NSF, the Naga Mothers Association (NMA) advisor, Rosemary Dzuvichu, said the Assam Rifles forgot that when an inquiry commission was set up and inquiry was still on, no legal notice should be served to anyone. She said the legal notice was highly objectionable.
Dzuvichu said the NMA and Pochury Mothers Association (PMA) in September 2015 filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court concerning July 16, 2015 Wuzu firing incident.
She said SC had then directed Gauhati High Court Kohima bench to dispose the case on time. However, Dzuvichu said the issue remained with the inquiry commission, which was yet to submit its report. “We are really unhappy with the inquiry commission”, she said and questioned the state government for constituting “only one man inquiry commission” and the reason for the delay.
Dzuvichu said NMA would reach out the Eastern Women organizations and the mothers association in Manipur as well. When asked about a joint effort in demanding repeal of AFSPA with the other states where AFSPA has been imposed, NPMHR Kenneth Mao said Nagas have soft corner for those states where AFSPA has been imposed. He said NPMHR would convey to its counterpart in Manpiur, Arunanchal Pradesh or Jammu and Kashmir to work together.
Meanwhile, NSF has convened a consultative meeting with Naga Hoho, NPMHR and NMA on August 5 at 11a.m. at Hotel Japfu.