Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has condemned another alleged attempt by the Centre to keep Naga people subjugated through militarisation by declaring entire of Nagaland as a “disturbed area” for six more months under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
In a statement, NSF president Kegwayhun Tep and general secretary Siipuni Ng Philo condemned the “overarching approach” of the Centre in extending the “inhuman Act” on the pretext of law and order problem in the State. They denounced the “continuous attempt” of the Centre to paint the State as a land of lawlessness and chaos.
“The world is witness to the fact that Nagaland is a beautiful State being inhabited by peace loving citizens, which is contrary to what it is made to look like by the impugned order,” they added.
After a thorough perusal of the law and order situation of various States in the country, NSF said it did not understand rationale as to why the controversial law was in operation in a “relatively peaceful” Nagaland and not in other states with even worst and appalling law and order records.
Mentioning that the history of excesses committed by armed forces on Nagas under the cover of AFSPA deserved to be condemned by all quarters and all right thinking citizens of the world, NSF appealed to the Centre to objectively assess the situation and not act upon “bias reports from various agencies.
Reiterating that AFSPA was unconstitutional and had no place in a democratic State as it only encouraged abuses and serious human rights violations by armed forces acting on behalf of the State, NSF appealed to the Home ministry to take right steps to ensure that the controversial law was repealed once and for all.