Talks Won't Be Meaningful Until And Unless AFSPA Is Removed: NSCN (I-M)

Guwahati: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) on Thursday asserted that no talks will be meaningful until and unless Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is removed.

NSCN also demanded government of India to immediately remove the act which according to them has given power to security forces the license to shoot and kill anyone on mere suspicion.

Notably, the outfit has also taken strong exception to the "irresponsible" statement made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament on the mass killing of civilians by the 21st Para Commandos of the Indian Army in Otting, in Mon district of Nagaland, on 4 December.

"In a situation like this, Amit Shah was expected to show political maturity and practical statesmanship in order to cool down the socio-political upheavals. Ironically, he poured fuel to the burning issue by standing behind the para commandos under his command with his fictional sleuth stories supporting the para commandos for their heinous act of killings. This is like rubbing salt and chilli into the wounds of the Nagas," the NSCN said in a press statement.

"There was no signal to stop the pickup van of the coal labourers as mentioned by Amit Shah in the Parliament. One of the survivors, Sheiwang, who is undergoing treatment at the Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh, said 'They shot right at us, no signal to stop, we did not flee,'" it said.

It further said that it was a botched ambush with a deliberate mission to kill and nothing to do with 'credible' intelligence of NSCN movement in the area. Nothing can be far from the truth that it was something executed deliberately.

"What is most sinister is when the army was found stripping naked the dead bodies of the Naga civilians with military dress to give the impression in the eyes of the media and the world that they have gunned down the militants. Luckily, they were caught red-handed by the villagers before they succeeded through their plan," it said.

The NSCN also said that the Nagas have had the bitter taste of this act on numerous occasions and it has spilled enough blood.

We Nagas have endured the insults heaped on our human dignity for too long. Blood and political talks cannot go together. The Nagas can no longer be made the laughing stock in the eyes of the world," it added.

Asserting that centre must immediately withdraw the AFPSA if it wants to do justice to the Naga people, the outfit added, "Let human dignity take control and be made an integral part of the Naga political peace process. Unfortunately, the Oting killing has become a threat to the Nagas' longing for Naga political solution.''

The NSCN (I-M) said the soldiers are emboldened beyond measures and they have been treating the Nagas like subhuman beings, without fear of any scrutiny of the court of law.

''This time round, the Naga people expect that the judgment must be transparent and must be swiftly delivered. This is the only way to establish absolute fidelity between the Naga people and government of India," the statement read.

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