The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) and groups affiliated to it asked all the Chief Ministers of the region to come together against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 that gives sweeping powers to the armed forces.
It appealed to the Chief Ministers during a protest staged across the Northeast on Thursday against the killing of 14 civilians in Nagaland’s Mon district on December 4.
“We staged the protest against the barbaric act of the security forces and also to show solidarity with our brothers in Nagaland,” NESO chairman Samuel Jyrwa said.
He said the Chief Ministers of Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland have already spoken against the AFSPA. “We call upon the other Chief Ministers of the Northeast to take a similar stand for compelling the Centre to repeal this draconian Act,” he said.
Taking part in the protest in Guwahati, NESO adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya questioned Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s silence on the issue.
“Our agitation against AFSPA will continue as long as it is not repealed and the perpetrators of the Nagaland killings are not punished,” he said.
