NSF condemns extension of AFSPA in Naga homeland

The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has “registered strong condemnation” against the extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in various districts and police station jurisdictions across the Naga homeland.

In a statement issued by President Medovi Rhi and Assistant General Secretary Kenilo Kent, the NSF said the Ministry of Home Affairs’ notification (S.O. 1536€, dated 30th March 2025) extending AFSPA for another six months from April 1, 2025, was a “blatant affront to the dignity, rights, and democratic aspirations of the Naga people.”

Calling the extension an “unjust and regressive move that disregards the realities on the ground,” the NSF asserted that “the Naga people have, time and again, demonstrated our desire for peace and political resolution through dialogue and non-violence.” Despite this, the Government of India “continues to militarize our land and impose colonial-era laws that empower security forces with impunity to commit atrocities without accountability,” it stated.

Highlighting the impact of AFSPA, the Federation said, “AFSPA has inflicted untold pain, trauma, and fear in the hearts of countless Naga families. From extra-judicial killings to unlawful detentions, from harassment to the erosion of civil liberties, its legacy is one of repression, not protection.”

The NSF described the extension of AFSPA as “not only an insult to the ongoing Indo-Naga political dialogue but also a deliberate provocation against our people’s collective call for peace and justice.” Reiterating its “longstanding demand for the immediate and complete repeal of AFSPA from the Naga homeland,” the Federation affirmed that “no true peace can prevail where laws of occupation and militarization continue to exist.”

In this regard, the NSF informed all its Federating Units and subordinate bodies to “strictly enforce the Federation’s standing policy of total non-cooperation with the Indian armed forces.” It urged every Naga student body “to abstain from participating in any joint programs, civic action initiatives, or ceremonial events involving armed forces personnel,” adding that compliance with the policy was “not just a protest, but a moral and political obligation to uphold the rights and future of our people.”

MT