Itanagar: AAPSU, NESO Protest against Nagaland killings
Hundreds of Students from different Colleges and communities of the state participated in the event.
- The AFSPA grants special powers to the armed forces to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”.
ITANAGAR- The All Arunachal Pradesh Student Union (AAPSU) in and North East Student organization (NESO) jointly observed a sit in demonstration and mass candle light at IG park today, expressing their solidarity against the killing of 14 civilians by Armed forces in Mon district, of Nagaland.
Hundreds of Students from different Colleges and communities of the state participated in the event. They were shouting slogans against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 (AFSPA).
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The AAPSU leaders sitting on dharna demand repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 (AFSPA). The said AFSPA is a colonial policy which suppresses human rights, should be immediately repealed. The centre should refrain from retaining AFSPA in any form, in the Northeast leaders said.
Talking to Media AAPSU general Secretary said that ” Inspite of solving problem AFSPA is creating more problem in Northeast. Because of the AFSPA, few army men thinking that ‘they are not answerable’ and they will do whatever they want” .
” It is very clear that, we can not bring any solution in gun point, AFSPA is not only law for handling the militancy.Lots of laws, like IPC, CrPC are there, which are enough to handle the militancy” said Pritam Waii Sonam, Coordinator , NESO.
Meanwhile, The tragic incident in Nagaland’s Mon district last weekend the decades-old demand for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has resurfaced in the northeast.
Also Read- Public outrage breaks out in Mon dist, after army guns down civilians
On Monday, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio called it “draconian”. Speaking at the funeral service of the civilians killed in the ambush, Rio said, “Citing law and order, the AFSPA has been in force for over 59 years here…the Centre declares the state as a disturbed area from time to time.” He said, “Nagaland has always opposed AFSPA. It should be repealed.”His statement follows Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s tweet demanding that, “AFSPA should be repealed.”
