The first day of the 'March Against AFSPA' from Dimapur to Kohima with a day's stopover in Phipema saw participation of hundreds of people on January 10. (Morung Photo by Samuel Seb Rengma)
‘For a life free of fear and armed violence’
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 10
It is not uncommon for the state authorities to beef up security whenever there is a public rally, and especially so, when the issue involves the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). But it was weird, albeit refreshingly, to note the absence of army green on January 10 when the non-violent ‘March Against AFSPA’ set off from Dimapur at around 6:30 am. There was not a single shade of combat green dotting the 40 odd kilometres procession route starting from the Dimapur Town Hall to Piphema. Save the occasional sighting of regular camps along the route, the only people with guns were but khaki personnel escorting the procession of people.
There were brief stopovers along the route with lunch thrown in at Medziphema in the afternoon. The procession reached Piphema, at around 4:30 pm, where they halted for the night to continue the march to Kohima the next day.
The marchers were a mixed-bag of individuals, both young and old, bound by one common wish— a dream to live not under the shadow of a draconian law but in peace and without fear as law abiding citizens.
The desire to live a life free of fear and armed violence was manifest in the air with one of the marchers, said Toshinaro Longchar, maintaining that the march was as much about shunning violence “in any form” as it was about repealing AFSPA. “It is for us to pay respect to the lost souls (Oting victims) and also for us that we should shun violence in any form in Nagaland,” she said, while adding that she felt happy to have brought her 5 year-old son along with her.
Longchar said, “I told my son that I am going for a protest march. He asked, ‘What is it for?’ I said, ‘against the killing.’ He knows about the Oting killing because we went to the memorial service that took place last month. And so, he said he would also join me because he said he is against killing and violence.”
Besides, she added that she wants her son to be aware of “our Naga story.” “I want him to be conscious… to be politically aware of who he is, what he is. So, this basically is what brought us here,” she said.
Like the mother-son pair, Dr Allen Konyak joined the march, alongwith her husband, to support the cause for pursuing peace and justice. She commented, “This is such a significant initiative for us because it means a lot for our Naga people. It is especially encouraging to see many young people today taking part. What we have done so far, we have walked in peace in a non-violent way and we want to pursue peace and justice in this manner. And we hope that though this walk that positive change will come in our land. I wish the walkers the very best for the rest of the journey today.”
A visitor from Hyderabad, who identified himself as Abhishek, said he joined the walk with friends as a gesture of solidarity. According to him, he was in Dimapur when he heard there was going to be a protest against the AFSPA, which he said, is “a long standing issue that has been troubling the Naga people.” While describing the Act as “the most inhuman,” he added that the impunity it gives to the military has gone on for too long.
Another marcher, who identified himself as Chemkai, reminded that it has been over a month since the Oting killings and yet justice is still to be delivered. “Today, we are here to show our pain and grievance on behalf of those brothers from Oting and also their bereaved families,” he said, while adding that the message of the march was for justice without delay.
