IMPHAL, Aug 11 : Just two days after Irom Chanu Sharmila broke her 16 years fast demanding the repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, four Naga dominated hill districts Chandel, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul today rose as one against the continued imposition of the Army Act and took massive rallies across the four hill districts.
Held under the Naga Students’ Federation, the apex body of the Naga student organisations, student bodies of the four districts pitched in and mobilised the people to stage the rally.
Chandel : The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) in collaboration with Naga Students’ Union, Chandel (NSUC) and its units, organized the rally at Chandel district headquarters today, our correspondent reports.
The rally which was flagged off from Mini Indoor Stadium, Chandel, passed through Japhou Bazar and DC Lamkhai.
A large number of student leaders, CSO leaders and students from different schools in and around the district headquarters took part in the protest rally.
Several placards with anti-AFSPA slogans like ‘Repeal AFSPA’, ‘Indian Armies leave us alone’, ‘AFSPA – License to kill the innocent public’, ‘AFSPA – Murderer of Human Rights’, ‘AFSPA State sponsored terrorism’, etc, were displayed during the rally.
Prior to the rally, a public meeting was held at Mini Indoor Stadium where various Naga student leaders spoke about AFSPA and its effects in the Naga inhabited areas.
Senapati : At Senapati the rally was jointly organised by the Naga People’s Organisation, Senapati District Students’ Association, Senapati District Women’s Association and other frontal organizations.
A similar mass rally was also organised at all Naga inhabited areas in the neighbouring States and a memorandum demanding the repeal of AFSPA was submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the Governor of Nagaland.
Tamenglong : At Tamenglong the rally began from Haipou Jadonang Park and ended at Tamenglong Mini Stadium.
The protesters formed a human chain at the mini stadium shouting slogans demanding the repeal of AFSPA.
Thomas Kahmei, Chairman, Zeliangrong Baudi, Manipur and Seth Satsang, president of All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) also attended the protest demonstration.
The rally was organised by Zeliangrong Students’ Union, Manipur under the aegis of NSF.
Ukhrul : The Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) under the aegis NSF also organised an anti-AFSPA rally today, reports our correspondent.
The rally began at about 10 am from two points- Dungrei Junction and Kasomtang, Ukhrul and converged at TNL ground, Wino Bazar.
A public meeting was also held at TNL ground on how to strengthen the demand for repealing AFSPA involving all stake holders.
TNL president Weapon Zimik addressing the gathering, said that for the past many years, the Naga people have been reeling under the said Act and recalled the numerous cases of killings and tortures of civilians by security personnel under the impunity and immunity granted by the Army Act.
Rights activist Hungyohung criticised the Government of India for continuing with such a draconian Act.
He called upon the public to isolate the security personnel to mark a strong protest against the imposition of AFSPA.
TKS president Joel Angkang read out a memorandum jointly signed by NSF, Naga Hoho, Naga Mothers Association, and Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights( NPMHR) on behalf of the Naga community and submitted to the Prime Minister of India.
Over 4000 took part in the rally.
