Nagaland
Global Naga Forum seek UN intervention for repeal of AFSPA
Dimapur, April 29 (EMN): Global Naga Forum (GNF) has sought the intervention of the UN Economic and Social Council and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to urgently prevail upon the Indian government to immediately repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and set a timeline for demilitarising the Naga homeland in order to begin a peaceful transformation of the region.
GNF made this appeal in its oral presentation during the 21st session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues which is being held from April 25 to May 6. It also appealed to expeditiously and in good faith resolve the Indo-Naga political issue so that the people could experience peace and live and thrive.
Besides, GNF also appealed to uphold the international standards enshrined in the UNDRIP and other relevant international human rights instruments and jurisprudence; that any development initiatives and implementation of policies and programmes for indigenous peoples should reflect the spirit, intent, values and principles of UNDRIP.
GNF reminded that the struggle for and absence of self-determination has made pursuing sustainable economic, social, and cultural development extremely difficult for the Nagas.
It added that the Naga people’s struggle for self-determination has been relentlessly suppressed by the government of India in three main ways: Military campaign from 1953 till date; Indian intelligence bureau propaganda to confuse, deceive, and divide Nagas; and liberal use of money and privilege to corrupt and change traditional Naga values and governance, and to align Naga society with the current BJP’s Hindutva ideology.
It has cited recent incidents of December 4 and 5, 2021, where thirteen innocent Naga civilians were killed by Indian armed forces in Oting and Mon in Nagaland as well as on March 21, 2022, where a local Naga leader in Arunachal Pradesh was shot and killed in front of his family by the Assam Rifles. It also mentioned of April 1 incident where four Naga youth were fired upon by an Indian special commando unit thereby injuring two of them seriously while they returning to their village after a day of fishing.
Stating that such wanton violence and human rights abuses on Nagas by the Indian army has been happening since the early 1950s, GNF claimed that no armed personnel have been prosecuted for the recent killings or for any of the thousands of Naga civilians murdered by the Indian army.
It, therefore, stated under such an environment, it is difficult to focus attention on sustainable economic development and transformative social and cultural change.