• Re-endorses non-cooperation to armed forces
• Appeals GoI for justice on Dec 2021 Oting killings
Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 20
The 3rd Federal Assembly (2021-23 tenure) of the NSF was convened in Dimapur on August 20. Addressing a press conference following the meeting, President Kegwayhun Tep said that the conclave discussed “lots of issues confronting the Naga people and the Naga students,” among which included the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB), AFSPA and the Oting incident.
On the NSSB, Tep said that the state government has yet to activate the Board three years after it was constituted in 2019. According to him, the institution of the NSSB has not been followed up by recruitment exams till date.
“We are also displeased that it is almost three years since but the government has still to operationalise the NSSB,” said Tep, while appealing the government to set in motion the recruitment process at the earliest. According to him, many youths are left frustrated because recruitment is not being done “through proper channels.” The purpose of the NSSB is to do away with backdoor appointment by conducting examinations fairly, he reminded.
In this regard, he disclosed that the NSF met the NSSB Secretary on August 18 wherein the latter gave verbal assurance to come out with an advertisement within August. While expressing hope that the government would live up to the verbal assurance, Tep warned of the student community resorting to democratic mode of protests “very soon” if the NSSB is not operationalised.
Meanwhile, there were contradictory statements. During the August 18 meeting, the NSSB Secretary told the NSF team that many Departments were yet to send the requisitioned posts to the Board despite being notified. Conversely, RTI replies from “all the departments” informed that the posts as requisitioned have been sent to the Board. Tep said, “To our dismay, we were informed by some departments that they have already sent the requisition to the NSSB, whereas we were informed by the Board and the Secretary that many departments are not complying… we demand all the Departments, which are failing to send the requisitioned posts to the Board to send as early as possible.”
Extending the age cap by upto 3 years from the existing 2 years, for entrants, on account of the three-year delay was another demand.
Tep further informed that the Federal Assembly resolved to appeal all educational institutions operating in the “Naga homeland” to allow students to wear traditional attire once a week. He maintained that it was not an imposition but an endeavour to uphold the cultural identity of the Nagas and the indigenous people inhabiting the Naga homeland.
While the call for repealing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act was reiterated, the Federal Assembly re-endorsed a 3-point resolution adopted at the previous Assembly. The resolution related to the AFSPA and non-cooperation to the Indian armed forces. It includes boycotting any form of humanitarian aid from the military, disallowing inviting military personnel from attending any civilian events and barring civilians from partaking in any official event of the Indian Armed forces “in the Naga homeland,” at the same time, hoisting of black flags.
The NSF further appealed the Government of India for on the December 4, 2021 Oting killings. “We feel that the issue is dying away but the NSF will ensure that until and unless justice is delivered to the victim families, the NSF will continue to fight for justice,” Tep said.
