Nagaland: The voice against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) gained momentum on Thursday as the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) today organised a mass protest across the Northeast region demanding immediate repeal of the act, which was often termed as 'draconian'.
The NESO protest came days after the 'massacre' of 17 people by the paratroopers of Assam Rifles on December 4 at Oting in Mon district.
The activists of Naga students Federation ( NSF) were out on the streets of Nagaland protesting and burning effigies of the Indian Army while activists of NESO also organized a sit-in demonstration at Guwahati. NESO is the umbrella organization of prominent students' bodies in the northeastern states.
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“It is to be mentioned that the armed forces have been operating in NE with impunity and they are further emboldened with the imposition of a draconian Law known as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 (AFSPA) in which the Government of India has not only refused to repeal but decided to continue the imposition of this draconian act even though there has been massive peoples movement for the repeal of this Act,” a release by NESO said.
Significantly, the Nagaland government had already adopted a cabinet resolution to urge the Central government to repeal the AFSPA from the state.
