The Khasi Students Union (KSU) has demanded the repeal of AFSPA following the killing of 13 Naga civilians in the operation carried out by the Assam Rifles at Oting village in Mon district of Nagaland, and demanded repeal of AFSPA.
The KSU demanded the Government of India to repeal AFSPA with immediate effect and instead formulate laws to safeguard and protect the rights and existence of the indigenous people of Northeast Indian states.
Expressing solidarity to the Naga brothers and sisters and strongly condemning the Mon firing incident, the KSU stated: “If the GOI is concerned about the existence of tribals in the region then it should draw stringent and harsh action against the erring and bloodthirsty personnel involved in the above incident”.
Military deployment and establishments in the region should be reduced to minimal in order “to avert a Tatmadaw like regime present in Burma”, KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah said in a statement.
The KSU expressed condolences to the bereaved families of the victims, and support to the quest for justice and their undaunted fight against oppression, Donald added.
The Mon firing incident took place on the night of December 4 when the Indian armed forces “mistakenly” opened fire on a group of Naga villagers travelling in a truck on their way back to Oting village from Tiru in Mon district of Nagaland, sources said.
“Such boldness from the end of the Indian Army to kill people with impunity in the NE region is solely due to the draconian Armed Force Special Powers Act which is more or less like a license to Indian soldiers to kill, torture or arrest anybody as per their whims and fancies,” Donald further said.
Apart from KSU, several organisations across Northeast India have voiced strong condemnation of the incident. In the wake of the incident, the Naga Students Federation has imposed total shutdown in all Naga-inhabited areas on December 6 from 6 am to 12 noon.
Meanwhile the Nagaland government has formed a special investigation task force to investigate the case, which is to be completed within a month.
