The Naga Blog appeals: Repeal AFSPA

Members of the Naga Blog along with participants from different organizations went on silent marches in Kohima and Dimapur in protest against the Kiphire assault on three persons by the Assam Rifles, and with an appeal for the repeal of the AFSPA.

Members of the Facebook group, The Naga Blog, have appealed for the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA). The ‘bloggers’ protested through silent marches organized in Kohima and Dimapur to express solidarity with the victims of the Kiphire assault of three people by the 7 Assam Rifles, with an appeal to revoke the Act from the North East.

The Kohima group was joined by members of the Angami Students Union, D Block Youth Organisation, Officers’ Hill Youth Organisation and others as they  took to the streets of Kohima walking from PR Hill Junction to Ser’s Bazaar TCP gate. In Dimapur, the group marched from Half Nagarjan Junction to City Tower with banners like ‘Give Peace a Chance’, ‘Violence leads to more Violence’, ‘AFSPA mockery to Indian Democracy’, ‘Revoke AFSPA from North East’ and so on, preceded by a mass prayer by the participating youth.

Yanpvuo Kikon, creator of The Naga Blog, expressed gratitude to the various organizations that joined the bloggers in the march. Speaking to The Morung Express, Kikon said, “This Act was introduced to suppress the Naga National Movement in 1952 which was the only active solidarity/autonomy/secessionist movement in the entire North East (NE). In 1952 there was only one extremist movement in the NE. Today, after 60 years, there are at the least 20 major such groups operating in the NE. Even a small kid can observe that this Act has not only failed miserably in suppressing such movements, but also helped in adding more fuel to the fire.”

Further, he said, “Under this Act a soldier can shoot and kill a person without getting trailed in court! This Act leaves a blood stain in the colours of democracy and should be done away with if the leaders of this country believe in the visions of B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution who advocated the spirit of integration and respecting diversity.”