NSF demands withdrawal of CAA, AFSPA

Protest held under aegis of North East Students' Organisation

Morung Express News
Kohima | August 17

Along with the rest of the North East, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) organised a sit-in protest at Oking, Naga Club building, Kohima on August 17 under the aegis of North East Students’ Organisation (NESO).

Some of the placards displayed by protestors read “AFSPA rears devil in the Indian armies” “stop the undeclared war on citizens” “India show your sincerity to peace” etc

Highlighting the objectives of the protest, NSF president, Kegwayhun Tep said NESO in its executive council meeting held recently in Guwahati discussed several issues confronting the Northeast Region, and resolved to call for three hours agitation in all the capital cities of North eastern states.

CAA should not be imposed in NER
One of the main concerns of the student body, Tep said was the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as almost all the north eastern states in India are already occupied by outsiders. 

Despite being opposed ‘tooth and nail’ by the student body, Tep said the central government did not pay heed to its demand, and the BJP government passed the bill on December 11, 2019. 

Although the implementation is yet to be done, Tep remarked, “It is the commitment of the BJP ruled government to implement the same before the next general assembly election.”

Asserting that ‘no outsiders, particularly the foreigners should be allowed to come and live in our land’; Tep stated that CAA should not be imposed and implemented in the entire north east region.

Completely repeal AFSPA
Recalling the December 4, 2021 Oting incident where several Naga brethrens were ‘slaughtered’ due to the military imposition, the NSF President expressed disappointment that this ‘issue is dying away,’ while attributing it to the ‘Nagas being very emotional.’

Nonetheless, he said it is the demand of the entire NER that justice is delivered to the families of the victims at the earliest.
Although ASFPA has been partially withdrawn and removed in several districts in the states of Assam, Nagaland and Manipur due to the efforts of various organisations in the NE states, Tep strongly asserted that, “it should be completely repealed from the entire NER.”

“As civilised society, AFSPA does not merit to be operational in the entire NE states. Because of AFSPA most of the peaceful lives of the NE states have been affected,” commented Tep, adding “they are not here to protect us but to harass us.”

Implement ILP in the NER
Strongly reiterating the demands of NESO for implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in all the NE sates, Tep pointed out that even in the four ILP operational states, the implementation is very poor.

In the state of Nagaland, he said NSF has been fighting with the government for effective implementation of the ILP in the state, however, “to our dismay, we see very limited response from the state government.”

Citing an instance in 2019 August, when NSF made a surprise exercise at Nagaland gate and caught 1600 illegal  immigrants where their documents are still lying at its office, Tep said ‘this is a threat to our people.’

Although the state government has announced on the operation of the online system of issuing ILP, he said the portal was not functional when checked, and asked the government to effectively implement the ILP so that the entry is properly regulated.

Education policy related to NE Region
In comparison with the other states in the country, NSF president said, “there are lots of disparity in terms of developments, educational institutions etc in the entire NER.”

Towards this end, he said NESO’s demand to the government of India is to ‘adopt an educational policy for NER based on is culture and history.”

It has also asked the GoI to establish more universities, technical and vocational institutes, medical and engineering colleges, research centres and also introduce more courses to ‘our’ colleges and universities.

This, he pointed out would enable the students of the NER to study in their own region, and thwart harassment of NE people by the ‘mainland’ Indians. 

Declare NE special employment zone
With the crises of unemployment in the entire NER, one of NESO’s demands to the GoI is to immediately solve the unemployment problem.

It has asked the government to declare NE special employment zone whereby all the grade III and IV of central offices must be reserved for NE people cent percent.

It has also demanded for economic development by formulating a comprehensive policy for economic development of NER, and that administrative centre of Act East Policy must be established in the NER.

Further, Tep said another charter of demands to the GoI is to look into the issue of people from Myanmar crossing over to NE to escape persecution with provision of food and shelter and other welfare amenities till the situation improves.