Two-day walk covering nearly 70 km plans to submit a memorandum Nagaland Governor
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 3
On January 10, like-minded citizens of Nagaland, plan to ‘Walk the Talk’ by organising an arduous march from Dimapur to Kohima to protest the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958.
The ‘March against AFSPA: Walk from Dimapur to Kohima,’ starting from Supermarket Dimapur to Raj Bhavan Kohima, will cover nearly 70 kilometre on foot in two days.
This is a mass/public initiated protest march, and not led by any civil society organisations or political parties, one of the organisers asserted.
While the call for repeal of the AFSPA has grown louder in the State and the North-East since the “Oting Yatong massacre incident” in the first week of December, the immediate trigger was the extension of AFSPA by the Centre in December 30, 2021, by declaring the “whole of the State of Nagaland to be ‘disturbed area’ for a period of six months with effect from 30th December, 2021, for the purpose of the said Act.”
The extension, in the backdrop of Oting incident, was received with widespread denouncement from various sections of the society, including the political parties from the State.
Accordingly, the protest march was planned by channeling support through various social media platforms aftermath the extension.
When contacted on Monday, Kevitho Kera, one of the organisers reiterated that it was “a mass/ public initiated protest march” demanding the complete removal of AFSPA 1958.
“It is a march on foot from Dimapur to Kohima starting from January 10 early morning and reach Kohima on January 11 after halting at Piphema for the night on January 10,” he informed.
“During the march, we will also remember victims of ‘Operation Bluebird,’ ‘Wuzu shooting’, ‘Matikhrü massacre,’ ‘Mokokchung killings, rape and arson,’ ‘Akuluto Killings,’ ‘Kohima tyre burst killings,’ ‘Pangsha border massacre’ and the recent ‘Oting massacre’ among many others as we hold this protest march,” Kera added.
Asked whether any organisation and political parties are spearheading the march, he reiterated the planned walk is a “peaceful, apolitical voice against AFSPA led by the public.”
Everyone is participating in their personal capacity, he added, while acknowledging that organisations have extended their solidarity.
“I personally believe that the masses should come on the forefront now, though we have respect for CSOs and political parties and in no way disregard them. I hope more people join the walkers on the way up to Kohima,” he added.
Without specifying the number of people who have confirmed participation so far, the organisers informed on that, “We are overwhelmed by the response in our quest for justice.”
Keeping in mind that everything is voluntary and the magnitude of responsibilities with regards to logistics, a simple Google form has been created to confirmed participation till January 6, the organisers said.
As the team marches on, one can join the march from any location between Dimapur and Kohima. Meanwhile, it was learnt that the organiser is currently in the process of drafting the memorandum to be submitted to the Nagaland Governor.
