NSCN-IM criticizes Union Minister’s statement on Oting Firing
Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement over the Oting firing incident in which 14 civilians were killed was criticized by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) on Wednesday.
The NSCN-IM said that no political talks will be meaningful under the shadow of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
‘Blood and political dialogue cannot go together,’ claimed the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), the major Naga group, in a statement.
In 1997, the NSCN-IM and other Naga organizations agreed to a truce with the central government. Over 85 rounds of negotiations have taken place between these organizations and the government since then.
The NSCN-IM claimed that after the Assam Rifles fired on December 4, Amit Shah made “irresponsible statements in Parliament,” and that Shah was required to exhibit political maturity and practical statesmanship in order to calm the socio-political upheavals.
“Ironically, by standing behind the Para Commandos (of the Assam Rifles) under his leadership with his fake sleuth stories backing the Para Commandos for their terrible act of killings,” the statement claimed.
According to the statement, the NSCN-IM has been pushed to take a stand against the “draconian AFSPA,” which “has given Indian security forces the license to fire and kill anyone on mere suspicion.”
“Let human dignity take command and become an intrinsic element of the Naga political peace process,” the statement read, adding that the December 4 death has tragically become a danger to the Nagas’ desire for a political solution.
“Now, if the Indian government wishes to do justice to the Naga people, the AFSPA must be repealed immediately, and an investigation for proper prosecution must be established soon,” the statement continued.
Meanwhile, at least three of the NDA government’s closest allies — the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party of Nagaland, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the Naga People’s Front, and the National People’s Party of Meghalaya, led by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma — have reiterated their demand for the NDA government to repeal the AFSPA.