"Unacceptable" : GNF on extending AFSPA
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Newmai News Network
DIMAPUR, Apr 1: The Global Naga Forum (GNF) said today that the decision of the Government of India to extend the "draconian" Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 (AFSPA), yet again, for the next six months in "Naga homeland" is completely unacceptable.
In a statement issued today, the GNF said AFSPA is fundamentally anti-democratic and anti-people, and its normalization in "Naga lands" through a six-monthly renewal routine for the last sixty-seven years running does not stand up to scrutiny – political, legal, or moral. It is unconscionable and universally condemnable.
The GNF then said the ongoing ceasefire between "Naga political groups and the Government of India" has effectively led to a suspension of armed conflicts in the region. It also said peace has prevailed for years. "Yet, strangely, the Indian government’s response to the peaceful situation has been punitive on the Naga public. Instead of building on the gains of the ceasefire for a more lasting peace by repealing the colonial-era law, as a goodwill gesture, the Government of India has repeatedly imposed it in Naga areas, thereby making AFSPA a permanent fixture in the lives of everyday Naga civilians", it added. Despite the ceasefire, the "Indian armed forces" continue to operate under AFSPA with complete impunity from criminal prosecution, violating Naga people’s human and civil rights including mass killings of innocent civilians, the GNF also said. It further stated that AFSPA has come to represent for the vast majority of Nagas the "Indian state’s unending repression" of Naga people in their own homeland through military oppression and intimidation. "So, the question Naga civil society has for the Government of India regarding AFSPA boils down to one thing: does India truly care about the legitimate aspiration and concerns of the Nagas – the long-cherished Naga desire as a people for lasting peace and a dignified future? Is the Indian government committed to justice for the Nagas by fostering genuine dialogue to reach a negotiated peaceful settlement without AFSPA hanging over the heads and haunting our lands?" the GNF asked.
Naga civil society organizations including the Global Naga Forum have repeatedly voiced our opposition to AFSPA. The extension of AFSPA not only undermines the spirit of the ceasefire, but also contradicts the principles of democratic governance, said the GNF. "It is a blatant affront to the aspiration of the Naga people. The continued militarization of our lands under the guise of national security may be a military boon and financial peanuts for the Government of India in return for the budgetary support it gives the state of Nagaland, but the Indian armed forces operating under AFSPA in our homeland is a direct assault on our fundamental rights and identity", the GNF further added.
In addition to the "unjustified extension" of AFSPA, the GNF said the reimposition of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) on foreign visitors entering Nagaland is another regressive step that must be revoked immediately. "PAP/RAP restrictions create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles that deter international visitors, researchers, and well-wishers from experiencing the rich cultural heritage, hospitality, and natural beauty of the Naga homeland," said the GNF. According to the GNF, the RAP is yet another colonial-era relic that isolates the Naga people and restricts opportunities for cultural exchange, economic growth, and international awareness of the Naga struggle. "Its continuation is an impediment to tourism and investment, depriving the region of much-needed development and global engagement", the GNF also stated. "We therefore strongly urge the Government of India to lift the RAP restrictions with immediate effect. Allowing free access to foreign visitors will promote greater understanding and solidarity with the Naga people while fostering socio-economic development in the region," the GNF also said.
DIMAPUR, Apr 1: The Global Naga Forum (GNF) said today that the decision of the Government of India to extend the "draconian" Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 (AFSPA), yet again, for the next six months in "Naga homeland" is completely unacceptable.
In a statement issued today, the GNF said AFSPA is fundamentally anti-democratic and anti-people, and its normalization in "Naga lands" through a six-monthly renewal routine for the last sixty-seven years running does not stand up to scrutiny – political, legal, or moral. It is unconscionable and universally condemnable.
The GNF then said the ongoing ceasefire between "Naga political groups and the Government of India" has effectively led to a suspension of armed conflicts in the region. It also said peace has prevailed for years. "Yet, strangely, the Indian government’s response to the peaceful situation has been punitive on the Naga public. Instead of building on the gains of the ceasefire for a more lasting peace by repealing the colonial-era law, as a goodwill gesture, the Government of India has repeatedly imposed it in Naga areas, thereby making AFSPA a permanent fixture in the lives of everyday Naga civilians", it added. Despite the ceasefire, the "Indian armed forces" continue to operate under AFSPA with complete impunity from criminal prosecution, violating Naga people’s human and civil rights including mass killings of innocent civilians, the GNF also said. It further stated that AFSPA has come to represent for the vast majority of Nagas the "Indian state’s unending repression" of Naga people in their own homeland through military oppression and intimidation. "So, the question Naga civil society has for the Government of India regarding AFSPA boils down to one thing: does India truly care about the legitimate aspiration and concerns of the Nagas – the long-cherished Naga desire as a people for lasting peace and a dignified future? Is the Indian government committed to justice for the Nagas by fostering genuine dialogue to reach a negotiated peaceful settlement without AFSPA hanging over the heads and haunting our lands?" the GNF asked.
Naga civil society organizations including the Global Naga Forum have repeatedly voiced our opposition to AFSPA. The extension of AFSPA not only undermines the spirit of the ceasefire, but also contradicts the principles of democratic governance, said the GNF. "It is a blatant affront to the aspiration of the Naga people. The continued militarization of our lands under the guise of national security may be a military boon and financial peanuts for the Government of India in return for the budgetary support it gives the state of Nagaland, but the Indian armed forces operating under AFSPA in our homeland is a direct assault on our fundamental rights and identity", the GNF further added.
In addition to the "unjustified extension" of AFSPA, the GNF said the reimposition of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) on foreign visitors entering Nagaland is another regressive step that must be revoked immediately. "PAP/RAP restrictions create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles that deter international visitors, researchers, and well-wishers from experiencing the rich cultural heritage, hospitality, and natural beauty of the Naga homeland," said the GNF. According to the GNF, the RAP is yet another colonial-era relic that isolates the Naga people and restricts opportunities for cultural exchange, economic growth, and international awareness of the Naga struggle. "Its continuation is an impediment to tourism and investment, depriving the region of much-needed development and global engagement", the GNF also stated. "We therefore strongly urge the Government of India to lift the RAP restrictions with immediate effect. Allowing free access to foreign visitors will promote greater understanding and solidarity with the Naga people while fostering socio-economic development in the region," the GNF also said.
