BY PC Bureau
April 7, 2025 –
The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), a powerful voice representing Naga youth, escalated its resistance against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) on Monday, urging its federating units and subordinate bodies to enforce a total non-cooperation policy with the Indian armed forces until the contentious law is fully repealed from Naga lands.
The directive follows the central government’s recent decision to extend AFSPA for another six months across various districts and police station jurisdictions in Nagaland, effective from April 1, 2025.
In a strongly worded press statement, NSF President Medovi Rhi and Assistant General Secretary Kenilo Kent condemned the extension, calling it an “unjust and regressive measure” that insults the dignity and democratic aspirations of the Naga people.
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The federation instructed all Naga student bodies to abstain from joint programs, civic initiatives, or ceremonial events with armed forces personnel. “Compliance with this policy is not just a protest, but a moral and political obligation to uphold the rights and future of our people,” the statement emphasized.
The AFSPA, enacted in 1958, has been a fixture in Nagaland for over six decades, granting sweeping powers to security forces to search, arrest, and use lethal force in areas designated as “disturbed” with little accountability. Initially introduced to counter the Naga nationalist movement that emerged in the 1950s—sparked by the formation of the Naga National Council—the law was imposed across the state to suppress armed insurgency.
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Despite periods of relative peace and ongoing peace talks, including the 2015 Framework Agreement with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), the Centre continues to justify its extension, citing security concerns. Critics, including the NSF, argue it has morphed into a tool of oppression, linked to documented human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings, and widespread trauma.
The NSF, one of Nagaland’s most influential civil society organizations, wields significant sway over the state’s youth and has a history of mobilizing protests against AFSPA. Its clout was evident after the 2021 Oting massacre, where 14 civilians were killed by security forces in Mon district, reigniting demands for the law’s repeal. The federation’s latest move underscores its unrelenting stance, accusing New Delhi of “militarizing” Naga ancestral lands and clinging to “archaic, colonial-era laws” that perpetuate impunity. “The continued designation of our homeland as a ‘disturbed area’ is a blatant affront,” the NSF declared, rejecting the label as disconnected from current realities.
The extension, announced on March 30, covers eight districts—Dimapur, Niuland, Chümoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, and Peren—and 21 police station areas in five others, with a further addition of Meluri district on April 1. This follows a pattern of six-month renewals, a practice the NSF deems a deliberate disregard for Naga aspirations. The federation reiterated its longstanding demand for AFSPA’s immediate and complete repeal, asserting, “No true peace can prevail where laws of occupation and militarization persist.”
As the NSF doubles down, the standoff signals deepening tensions between Naga civil society and the Indian government. With the federation rallying its network for non-cooperation, the coming months could see heightened protests, testing the Centre’s resolve amid fragile peace negotiations and growing international scrutiny of AFSPA’s human rights implications.
