The Assam Wesean Students’ Union (AAWSU) has strongly condemned the recent extension of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Upper Assam, which affects the districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, and Sivasagar. The student body demanded a transparent explanation from the government regarding this decision.
“We stand in deep outrage over the extension of AFSPA in Upper Assam. If the unrest supposedly originates from Bangladesh, why is the act enforced in areas far from the border? This move raises alarming questions about the true motives behind this decision,” the statement read.
AAWSU questioned the government’s justification for imposing AFSPA in Upper Assam while leaving Lower Assam, closer to the Bangladesh border, untouched. It alleged that the extension could target indigenous communities defending their land, culture, and rights.
The union invoked the Oting massacre in Nagaland, where civilians were killed by security forces under AFSPA. “We refuse to be the next Oting,” AAWSU warned, highlighting that the soldiers involved were allegedly exonerated, raising fears of similar injustices in Upper Assam.
AAWSU criticized Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his silence on the issue, questioning, “Why has our Chief Minister not protested? Is this silence his way of consenting to more violence against the indigenous people he claims to represent?” They referenced past incidents, including the Kakopathar killings.
The statement condemned the long-standing military oppression faced by the Northeast, asserting that the region has been treated as “second-class citizens” by the Indian government. “For decades, we have faced military oppression, our voices silenced, and our identities undermined,” the AAWSU said.
In their demands, AAWSU called for the immediate revocation of AFSPA in Upper Assam and an end to military oppression of indigenous communities. They urged Chief Minister Sarma to address the people’s concerns and demanded equal rights for the Northeast, stating, “We will not stand by silently as our land is militarized and our voices ignored.”
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