Dimapur [Nagaland], July 1 (HornbillTV): The Naga Students’ Union (NSF) has noted the government of India declaring Nagaland a distributed area for six months again under the black law, the armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958. The NSF issued a statement on July 1, Thursday, stating an appeal to the ministry of Home Affairs that the right steps forward are taken to ensure that the controversial law is repealed once and for all.

The federation condemns the approach of the central government in extending the Act on the pretext of law and order problem in the state, the statement said adding that the organisation also denounces the attempt of the central government to paint the state as a land of lawlessness. 

The history of excess committed by the armed forces on the Naga people under the cover of the AFSPA calls for condemnation of all right-thinking citizens of the world, the NSF stated. The NSF appealed to the central government to objectively assess the situation and to not act on biased reports.    

The NSF reiterated its stand that the AFSPA is unconstitutional and has no place in a democratic state as it only encourages abuse and serious human rights violations by the armed forces acting on behalf of the state, the NSF statement added.