Fresh Protests Erupt Again Over Civilian Deaths in Nagaland, Agitators Call For Non-Cooperation

The protesters under the banner of ENPO just like the Konyak Union resolved to abstain from national celebrations and also promised non-participation in Army civic programmes.

Kohima: Fresh protests erupted on Friday in state capital Kohima days after the civilian killings in Nagaland. It must be noted that over 14 civilians were killed in Nagaland’s remote Mon district earlier this month during an Army counter-insurgency operation. The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) organised the protest in the city with thousands taking to the streets to demand justice for those who died and the repeal of the controversial AFSPA, or Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

Standing with banners and placards that read “how many times must bullets be fired before repealing AFSPA”, “AFSPA rears devil in the Indian armies” and “ban AFSPA, not our voice”, the protesters called for non-cooperation.

The fresh agitation carries significance not just because it is the third straight day of protests, but there is escalation of the Naga people’s outrage over the civilian kills in the state.

#Nagaland People protest against AFSPA in state capital Kohima… pic.twitter.com/cRRjto7xps

— Dipak Barman Tintin (@DipakTintin) December 17, 2021

The protesters under the banner of ENPO just like the Konyak Union on Friday resolved to “abstain from national celebrations and also promised “non-participation in Army civic programmes”. The protesters said it would not allow recruitment drives in the area.

On Thursday, the protesters in eastern part of the state called for dawn-to-dusk bandh in Mon district and because of which the government and private offices were shut, and vehicular traffic was disrupted.

A Public Rally has been organized at Old MLA Hostel Junction Kohima in protest against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act today by Naga Students' Federation. pic.twitter.com/DN0MxCgWa7

— Oken Jeet Sandham (@okenjeet) December 17, 2021

And not just the Mon district, the massive protests have also hit Kiphire, Tuensang, Noklak, and Longleng districts in the eastern part of the state, where shops were shut for the day.

The agitators across the state demanded the immediate arrest of the soldiers involved in the botched Army operation. They have also demanded the Central government to withdraw a “false” and “fabricated” statement in Parliament on December 6.

However, the Indian Army had earlier expressed regret over the civilian killings and said an internal investigation, led by an officer of Major-General rank, is going on.

In the meantime, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma have called for repeal of AFSPA in their respective states and across the northeast.

AFSPA is in place in Nagaland, Assam, Manipur (excluding capital Imphal) and parts of Arunachal Pradesh, as well as Jammu and Kashmir. It has been scrapped in Tripura and parts of Meghalaya.