Kohima: The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has strongly condemned the recent extension of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) across several districts and police station jurisdictions in the ‘Naga homeland’.
In a statement issued by NSF President Medovi Rhi and Assistant General Secretary Kenilo Kent, the student body called the decision “a blatant affront to the dignity, rights, and democratic aspirations of the Naga people.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs, via notification S.O. 1536(E) dated March 30, 2025, extended the designation of the region as a ‘disturbed area’ under AFSPA for another six months, effective from April 1, 2025.
The NSF stated that the move was “unjust and regressive,” asserting that it ignored the ground realities and the Naga people’s consistent efforts toward peace and a political resolution through non-violent means. The Federation accused the Indian government of continuing to militarise Naga land and enforcing colonial-era legislation that grants sweeping powers to security forces, often without accountability.
“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. Its extension, in this day and age, is 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,” the student leaders said.
Reiterating its longstanding demand for the complete repeal of AFSPA from Naga areas, the NSF emphasised that true peace cannot be achieved under laws it described as instruments of occupation and militarization.
As part of its response, the NSF has directed all its federating units and subordinate bodies to enforce the Federation’s standing policy of total non-cooperation with the Indian armed forces. It urged Naga student bodies to abstain from participating in any joint programs, civic action initiatives, or ceremonial events involving armed forces personnel until AFSPA is fully repealed.
The statement observed that this act of non-cooperation is not only a protest but also a moral and political obligation to uphold the rights and future of the people.
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