Revoking AFSPA in Nagaland: Current Trends and Possibilities

ABSTRACT

For more than six decades now, Nagaland has been under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act [AFSPA] 1958. Despite the violence and impunity, the act grants the security forces, it is still in force. To bring peace to the region the Framework Agreement was signed in 2015 between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M). However, the peace process in Nagaland has hit a roadblock due to the violence in the Mon district in December 2021. This bloodshed has shed light on the Naga people’s struggles under AFSPA. The demand to revoke the Act has been renewed following the latest incident in December. This paper will discuss the current trends and the possibility of revoking AFSPA, taking into account other North-eastern states and what we can learn from them.

Keywords: AFSPA, Nagaland, insurgency, North-East, Mizoram, Peace process 

INTRODUCTION 

On 4 December 2021, the Indian Army’s 21 Para Special Forces opened fire on a civilian truck, carrying mostly coal miners, in Nagaland’s Mon district (Shantha, 2021). The security forces killed fourteen civilians, claiming they had acted on a tip-off on the movement of insurgents. The death of the miners led to violent clashes between the locals and military troops, further slaying seven civilians and a soldier. The Army and the Ministry of Home Affairs [MHA] profoundly regretted the incident as a case of “mistaken identity and “intelligence failure” (Choudhury, 2021). The incident led to demonstrations and acts of non-cooperation against the security forces by members of the Konyak Civil Society. Acts of non-cooperation included no participation in recruitment rallies, acceptance of any packages/assistance from the armed forces, and cutting off of public relations with the armed forces (Nath, 2021). 


Default Author Image

Fatima Juned

Found this post insightful? Share it with your network and help spread the knowledge.

Suggested Reads

Macroeconomic Reforms and the Indian Manufacturing Sector: Locating Labour

Introduction In the May of 1990 when Montek Singh Ahluwalia delivered his seminal paper, “Towards a Restructuring of Industrial, Trade and Fiscal Policies” for an internal discussion in the government, a reservation on the question of labour was made for a later date, saying,  “Reforms relating to labour legislation are also necessary. However, this is […]

Women’s Healthcare: Budgeting and Policy Insights from Maharashtra and West Bengal

Introduction Throughout India’s history, both pre- and post-independence, Maharashtra and West Bengal have been leaders in advancing social reforms for women. Maharashtra’s contributions include the pioneering efforts of Jyotiba Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule, who broke societal barriers by establishing the first school for girls in Pune. Reformers like Dhondo Keshav Karve further pushed […]

Sexual Autonomy of Women in Rural India: Assessing SDG 5.6.1

Unfortunately, around 800,000 of these abortions are unsafe, contributing significantly to maternal mortality, despite the legal framework established by the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act. This highlights the persistent barriers rural women face in accessing safe sexual health services, particularly due to inadequate healthcare infrastructure compared to urban areas. This indicator is a critical measure of gender equality and women’s empowerment, particularly in the context of sexual and reproductive health rights .

Great Nicobar Dilemma: Weighing Progress Against Preservation

Background  The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a remote archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, are renowned for their pristine beaches, rich biodiversity and vibrant indigenous cultures. Much of the rich biodiversity has remained undiscovered in parts of the islands, and the fragile ecosystem faces significant environmental challenges.  The island of Great Nicobar, a part of […]