Ukhrul, August 10: Two armed separatist groups, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Government of the People’s Republic of Nagaland), or NSCN/GPRN (Yung Aung faction), and the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), have jointly called for a boycott of India’s Independence Day celebrations on August 15 across the region they refer to as WESEA — comprising parts of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the groups denounced India’s Independence Day as a “so-called” celebration of freedom, saying it holds no meaning for the people of WESEA. “Freedom cannot exist on oppressed land,” the statement read, arguing that the day serves only as a reminder of “the relentless brutality of the Indian occupational forces” and the suffering inflicted on the region’s inhabitants.
Also read In Defence of India’s Indigenous Peoples: Confronting Denial and Appropriation
The release accused Indian security forces of waging war “with impunity” against local communities, and framed the armed resistance of insurgent fighters as self-defense against “cruelty” that the Indian state brands as terrorism. Despite decades of conflict, the groups vowed that their “resolve is stronger than ever” and that they would “never give up” their struggle for independence.
The statement urged residents of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland to remain indoors on August 15 as a form of silent protest. The groups said such collective action would serve as “powerful testaments” of resilience against “ongoing oppression.”
Also read Arunachal’s First Woman Army Colonel Ponung Doming Featured in Femina’s Independence Day Special
“As India unfurls its colonial flag, let us unfurl the truth by exposing India’s war crimes in our region,” the NSCN-YA and ULFA-I statement said.