Gov’t of India’s Nagaland urges New Delhi to repeal AFSPA in state following civilians’ killing

NEW DELHI, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) — Local government in the northeastern state of Nagaland in India Tuesday urged New Delhi to withdraw the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), officials said. The demand has come during a meeting of local government ministers in the wake of the killing of 14 civilians in an army firing on Saturday in the state’s Mon district.

“An emergency cabinet meeting was called to discuss the firing incident in Mon district and the subsequence incident that followed in Mon town,” local government minister and spokesperson, Neiba Kronu told media.

“Cabinet was briefed on the actions taken by the government including setting up of a special investigation team (SIT) headed by an inspector general of police and consisting of four other members.

The cabinet decided that the SIT should complete its investigation and submit its report by one month time.”

Kronu said the cabinet has also decided to write to the government of India to immediately repeal AFSPA, which gives extraordinary powers to the troops such as shooting a person on mere suspicion, from the state.

At least 14 civilians and a trooper of Assam Rifles were killed and over a dozen others wounded in a series of violent clashes in the state’s Mon district.

“With regard to the firing incident, two people are still in critical condition in Dibrugarh Hospital, six other persons were admitted in Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Dimapur while 22 persons have been discharged,”

Kronu said. Indian army described the incident as an “unfortunate loss of lives” and added the matter will be investigated at the “highest level.”

On Monday Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said Nagaland and the Naga people have always opposed AFSPA and it should be repealed. Meanwhile, the Indian government on Monday regretted the killing and expressed sympathy with the victim families.