The Naga Hoho questioned the extension of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland by six more months.
“What was the necessity to impose this ‘most unwanted law’ when the state has been declared peaceful,” the Hoho asked.
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In a release, Hoho general secretary K. Elu Ndang said the AFSPA is only a means to terrorise and create fear among innocent people.
“The draconian law is not to maintain law and order in the region but to act and suppress the people,” Ndang said.
“The imposition only proved the iron hand of India and militarisation against the Nagas,” he said.
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The Hoho maintained that the past decades had proved beyond doubt that through this “demonic law” many human rights have been abused and fundamental rights of citizens violated by the armed forces.
Saying that this “inhuman law” has lost its relevance in a civilised society and its applicability had no place in the modern world, the Hoho demanded that the AFSPA must be repealed if the government of India truly honoured the Naga peace process and a peaceful solution to the Indo-Naga political talks.
The Hoho was also of the view that the Nagas cannot fully blame the government of India for imposition/extension of AFSPA, saying the Centre alone might not have acted upon without the consent or recommendation from the state government.
It urged the state government to seriously take initiative to remove “this draconian law from our land”.