Senapati: The All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) sadly remembers the infamous Oting Incident, 2021 and demands to repeal AFSPA from the Naga homeland.
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In a press communique issued by the Information & Publicity of ANSAM, it stated that the office of the All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) hearkens back to the infamous “OTING INCIDENT, 2021” wherein 14 innocent Naga villagers were brutally massacred by the Indian Armed Forces which remains afresh in the minds of Naga people and can never forget the notoriety of the Indian Army in Mon district of Nagaland on 4th December 2021. The student body also recalls the “INFAMOUS OPERATION BLUEBIRD, 1987” and various other incidents that are still hounding the Naga people with fear and tears. ANSAM stated to offer their highest respect and deepest homage to the departed Naga souls whose lives were mercilessly murdered and all the victims who suffered horrendous tragedies in such incidents.
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The Association vehemently opposed the continuous arbitrary imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 by the government of India particularly in the Naga homeland where there is relative peace, unlike in other parts of the state.
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The Association while opposing the extension of the draconian law AFSPA in the Naga homeland, ANSAM put on record that, ever since the promulgation of the said infamous Act, Naga people have been experiencing undeclared war where the innocent Naga villagers were terrorized by the Indian Army even the women and children were not spared. The Naga people have been terribly affected by the torrential brutalities unleashed by the Indian Security forces with the impunity power sanctioned by the savage Act. Innocent Naga people were used as an object of soft targets on the pretext of maintaining law and order.
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The act is not merely a brutalization of security forces but a legitimization of violence which is draconian in nature, anti-people in spirit and a gross violation of human rights. Such devilish laws should not have any place in this modern era, the student body reiterated. “The Nagas are peace-loving people and have been maintaining peace and harmony in all the Naga homeland since the signing of Indo-Naga Ceasefire in 1997 which has paved the way to the signing of the Framework Agreement between the government of India (GoI) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) on 3rd August 2015 recognizing the unique history and situations of the Nagas and both the entities have committed to start a new relationship based on sharing of Sovereign Power, but the blatant and continuous imposition of AFSPA in Naga homeland negates the spirit of Indo-Naga peace process which is at the highest level and reflects the insincerity on the part of GoI in resolving the longest political issues in Southeast Asia,” it said and asked, “How can India, especially one that claims to be the world’s largest democratic country get away with so many killings, abductions and atrocities in Naga homeland? Will the Indian government prosecute the officials of its security forces who are responsible for their acts of heinous crimes?”
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The Association implores the GoI as a nation of the largest democracy to uphold the principles of democracy, justice and human rights by repealing the contentious AFSPA, 1958 and expediting the Indo-Naga Peace Talks to a logical conclusion in the true spirit of 3rd August 2015, Framework Agreement recognizing the Naga Flag, Constitution and Integration as an inalienable right of the Nagas to usher in an enduring peace in the northeast region.
In compliance with the resolution of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), ANSAM steadfastly reaffirmed their stance to extend Non-cooperation towards the Indian Armed Forces until AFSPA, 1958 is completely repealed from the Naga homeland.
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