Naga students' body to hold rally for AFSPA repeal

Kohima: The Naga Students' Federation (NSF), the apex body of Naga youth and students will take out a rally on Friday demanding immediate repeal of AFSPA from the state. The rally, which is expected to witness a large gathering, will commence from Old MLA Hostel Junction here around 11 am and culminate near Raj Bhavan, NSF president Kegwayhun Tep said.

The protesters will hand over a memorandum seeking immediate withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 to Governor Jagdish Mukhi for its submission to the Centre. Vipopal Kintso, the convener of NSF’s rally organising committee, said Nagas are "fed up of living under the draconian law that dehumanises people". NSF had long been seeking a solution to the vexed political issue, and repeal of AFSPA.

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The demand gained momentum earlier this month after 13 hapless mine workers in Oting village fell victim to bullets sprayed at them by security forces in a botched counter-insurgency operation.

"How long will the Nagas be treated as sub-humans? We hope the recent Oting incident turns out to be an eye-opener for the central government," Kintso stated.

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Talking about the vexed political issue, he said that stakeholders had hoped that AFSPA would be repealed after ceasefire agreements were signed by Naga groups and the Centre during the course of dialogue between the two sides, but the "Union government's reluctance to withdraw the law shows that it isn’t sincere about solving the decades-old problem". Kintso urged members of Naga civil societies and other well-wishers to join the rally.