The Ao Senden has expressed shock and dismay at the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of India for closing all proceedings against the “murderers of our 14 Konyak Naga unarmed brothers” on 4 December 2021.
Stating that the 14 were “killed without either provocation or warning,” the Ao Senden on Monday stated in a press release that the Supreme Court judgment was based on the order dated 28 February 2023 that “declined sanction for prosecution of the murderers by the Central Government in view of the specific bar contained in Section 6 of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958.”
However, the Ao Senden expressed hope that the Indian Army authority would initiate its “own action against the murderers” since the two-judge Supreme Court bench has said its order would not prevent the Army from taking disciplinary action against the personnel involved.
“Whereas, this Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is a classic example of the medieval mindset of the Indian political intelligentsias which have no relevance in the 21st century, except that it keeps the citizens of Nagaland groaning and suffering under the might of the Indian Armed Forces as if we are in the Medieval Age,” the Ao Senden stated.
The apex Ao body also expressed discontentment with the local elected leaders for their perceived silence on the issue. “The silence of our elected representatives in their own fora, post the Oting massacre is deafening, and we deplore their insensitivity. They should furthermore raise their voices so that this kind of massacre should not repeat in the democratic country of India in these modern times,” it said.
The Ao Senden also appealed to “all right-thinking and democratic people of India” to impress upon the political parties and parliamentarians to repeal this “savage and barbaric” Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, in toto at the earliest.