This foot march got the support of various tribal organizations and enlightened organizations.
The march started from Dimapur’s Super Market. The participants had placards in their hands, on which slogans were written demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and justice for the dead.
One of the coordinators of the march, Roquevejo Vetsah, said it was a peaceful and democratic way to express public dissatisfaction with the AFSPA and to reestablish “your dignity as a human being”.
He regretted that after the Mon incident, the Center extended the AFSPA for six more months on 30 December 2021, not paying heed to the public demand. He said that people have come together to express their unhappiness against the Centre’s decision.
Update on #Nagaland: A 70-km long march from Dimapur to Capital Kohima by Naga youths demanding justice for civilians killed by security forces in Oting. The agitation against AFSPA continues. “Justice Denied! Repeal AFSPA,” read the placards armed by hundreds of protesters. pic.twitter.com/RrruPPgdh1
— Mahmodul Hassan (@mhassanism) January 10, 2022
The move to extend the AFSPA deadline comes days after the central government constituted a high-powered committee to examine the possibility of withdrawing the controversial AFSPA from Nagaland.
The Center on 26 December 2021 to look into the possibility of removing the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which has been in force in Nagaland for decades, to defuse tensions after 14 people were killed in firing by security forces in Nagaland. The government has constituted a high level committee.
It is to be known that after the death of 14 civilians in Mon district by an army contingent on December 4, protests are being held in several districts of Nagaland for the withdrawal of AFSPA.
On December 19, the Nagaland Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution demanding the central government to remove AFSPA from the Northeast, especially from Nagaland. The resolution criticized the death of people in this tragic incident on December 4 in Oting-Tiru village of Mon district.
Since the recent killings in Nagaland, politicians, heads of government, thinkers and activists have raised the demand for the removal of AFSPA in one voice.
They have said that this law gives unbridled powers to the armed forces and it is directly responsible for incidents like firing in Mon village.
(with input from news agency language)
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