NESO holds consultative meet on AFSPA

Our Correspondent KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 19 The North East Students’ Organization (NESO) today organized a consultative meeting with student leaders in Nagaland at the Millennium Hotel, Kohima, soliciting youth opinion on the infringement of human rights resulting from the implementation of the infamous Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in various parts of the region since 1958. Besides the NESO delegation, a host of student leaders including former and present officials of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and federating units attended the programme. During the meeting, it was discussed that AFSPA has brought about militarization of the north east and innocent people have directly or indirectly felt the pains, as it crushes their indigenous identity as well as their right to live. The house also agreed that the time has come for the government of India to pay attention to the north east and redress the social injustice meted to the people of this region through the “demeaning and unjust racist law” that is in AFSPA. In his keynote address, NESO secretary general Sinam Prakash highlighted that the organization is holding similar consultative meets with the youth and student bodies of the north east states, to share and exchange views on AFSPA and how to build constructive steps to urge the Centre to repeal the “draconian Act”. He stated that the Act is a wholly debateable legislation passed by the Indian Parliament, which was initially enforced in the Naga Hills and has now spread over to different states of the north east India, affecting generations of innocent lives, particularly children and women. The NESO official pointed out that the claim is that the Act is to fight militants, whereas despite the presence of militant groups in other mainland Indian states, AFSPA is not enforced in those states except the north east. He lamented that this Act gives the authority to armed forces personnel to kill anyone on suspicion, rape our women, and they cannot be legally prosecuted for their actions. “We are human beings, we are also citizens of India…….What is the relation between rape and national security?” he questioned. Noted Naga writer and social activist, Kaka D Iralu, who was a resource person at the meet, gave a brief historical background on how the AFSPA was instituted. He said the Act was brought into existence “in the theatre of the killing fields of Nagaland in the 1950’s”, a case where he observes both the Indian government and its armed forces are guilty of doing the opposite of what they are appointed to do. Maintaining that as per the 16 Point Agreement, Nagaland is supposed to be a bona fide Indian state, he stated yet, instead of promulgating laws for protection of its citizens, the Indian government has sanctioned the army to shoot its own citizens even on mere suspicion. While otherwise the armed forces is considered as one of the noblest professions in the world, empowerment such as the AFSPA disrobes a soldier of all his honour, he asserted. “If AFSPA is not a state sponsored terrorism, then what is it?” he asked. Another resource person, Manipur-based youth NGO, REACHOUT lead coordinator, Kshetrimayum Onil alleged that the AFSPA is particularly designed for the north east region. He remarked that many human rights organizations have challenged and criticized the Act, and several international platforms ultimately denounced the Act as a ‘racist law’, yet the government of India remained unmoved. Stating that the brutality of the AFSPA is contradictory to a country that professes itself to be a democracy, he underscored the need for the people of all the states who suffer(ed) the pains of AFSPA to come together and form a stand and demand for derecognition of the Act. He also emphasized on the need to build a network of youth to awaken to the evils of the Act. The programme, hosted by the Naga Students Federation (NSF), was moderated by Angami Youth Organization president Medo Yhokha while a Korean youth activist Hyean Seok Noh presided the meeting as the presidium member. Following the meeting, the house adopted a six-point resolution. 1. To strongly condemn the discriminatory and racist nature of AFSPA, particularly in its implementation in Nagaland; 2. To demand the repeal of AFSPA and to call upon all the people of the north east to be united on this call; 3. To sensitize the students’ community of the north east on the human rights consequences of the prolonged imposition of AFSPA in the region; 4. To pressure the members of parliament from NE region to raise the issue to repeal AFSPA in the parliament during the forthcoming winter session; 5. To organize a mass-based protest rally at New Delhi under NESO; and 6. To ensure that the issue of repeal of AFSPA is in the list of priorities of NESO.