The editorial of the latest edition of NSCN-IM mouthpiece Nagalim Voice said that it is “time for the AFSPA, 1958 to go”.
The editorial of Nagalim Voice said that it is high time the Government of India repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and “exercise the political wisdom of giving due importance to humanity in order to heal the wounds of the Nagas in the hands of the Indian armed forces”.
It further stated that it is time the “Government of India listens to the voice of the people and thereby take forward to process building a new chapter of relationship between the Government of India and Naga people”.
According to the Nagalim Voice, for too long the Northeast people, particularly the Nagas, have “allowed themselves to be tormented, harassed and slaughtered by the Indian security forces”.
It further alleged that for too long the Government of India uses its “armed forces to treat the Nagas as if they are less than human and undeserving of respect and dignity”. It added: “For too long the Indian armed forces have shown themselves bereft of human conscience”.
It then said that for too long the ghost of Jawaharlal Nehru, the then prime minister of India and the brain behind the AFSPA has haunted the Nagas at the cost of Nagas’ pride and dignity. For too long the AFSPA has been misused by the Indian security forces against the “legitimate” Naga political movement. It further alleged that for too long the human rights of the “Naga people as a nation has been subdued”.
According to the editorial of the NSCN-IM’s mouthpiece, the Nagas have had enough of all these inhuman treatment and outrageous violence. “Nothing hurts more than the Indian army’s horror of fire and blood targeting innocent civilians. This movie-like horror of Oting massacre would never be forgotten in the years to come,” it added.
The editorial then said that it is time for the Government of India to dump Jawaharlal Nehru’s legacy of “oppressive hatred towards” the Nagas. The Nagalim Voice then said: “It is worth recalling how General Thimmaiya of the Indian Army responded to PM Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru who banged his hand on the table with his fist shouting, ‘What is a General for? Can’t you crush a handful of tribal rebels?’ General Thimmaiya replied, ‘The Naga issue is not a law and order problem, but a political problem requiring political wisdom for a solution’”.
The NSCN-IM’s mouthpiece then added that no doubt, the ongoing Indo-Naga political talk is a part of the political initiative. “There is, however, too much leaning towards military initiative using the AFSPA. This approach needs to change,” it asserted.
