Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) and ACAUT Nagaland, have strongly criticised the Assam Rifles for attempting to gag the local media through a notification over the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act by publishing press statements of the banned outfit NSCN(K) NTC said the Assam Rifles, which claimed itself as “Friends of the Hill people” has instead caused resentment on “their hill people” by attempting to “bully the local media” against publication of press items from NSCN(K) as it has been banned.
NTC media cell pointed out that the notice issued to local media by the AR was an encroachment on the freedom of the press, which was guaranteed as fundamental right.
It reminded the AR that such “overriding action jeopardises the peaceful coexistence between the paramilitary force and the law abiding citizens”.
NTC said the second uproar was the shooting down of four Nags youth at Leangkonger village on November 15,2015. It said that though there were different versions of the incident, the local organisations such as- Western Yimchunger Hoho and Yimchungrü Akherü Arih Ako (YAA) had implicated AR for highhandedness.
NTC pointed out that the deceased were from NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) which was in cease fire with the government of India.
NTC said as the state government was yet to institute an official probe, its reaction would only be based on paper reports regarding the way the inhuman way, the victims had to face untimely deaths. Based on reports, NTC said the four were arrested by Assam Rifle first, and instead of handing them over to the civil authorities, the arrested were killed in the name of confrontation. In the light of the issues, NTC has put up the following question on the Assam Rifle:
(1)was it the policy of the government of India, to annihilate all NPGs while having dialogue with only one group?
(2) NTC asked what was the rationale behind promulgation of Disturbed Areas Act all over Nagaland and imposing of AFSPA 1958, while the centre was on cease fire with not less than three political groups for over a decade?
(3) Whether the government of India engaged in peace process with one NPG, while waging war against other NPGs and brutalising citizens? NTC therefore condemned the killing of the four Naga youths and the handling of the law and order by the AR.
Further, NTC demanded that the state government order an immediate probe into the incident and booking the culprits as per the law.
ACAUT slams AR notification to press
DIMAPUR, NOV 19 (NPN): ACAUT Nagaland, through its media cell, expressed deep concern and condemned the notification issued on the local media by Colonel Rajesh Gupta, Colonel General Staff on October 2 5,2015. ACAUT said it was nothing short of an attempt to “curb freedom of press and a direct attack on the fourth pillar of democracy.
Further ACAUT said freedom of speech of the press was at the was the foundation of all democratic organisations. It said free political discussion, not public education were vital for all democratic organistions for proper functioning and proper functioning of the government. ACAUT also reminded that Naga people, under the Preamble of the constitution, have the liberty of expression.
It said freedom of speech was included as part of freedom of speech and expression as per Article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. NTC reminded that it was the duty of all to uphold freedom of the press and invalidate law and administrative actions that bridge freedom.
The three essential element were stated as : (1) freedom of access to information(2) freedom of publication; (3)freedom of circulation. NTC said therefore, the notification by Assam Rifles to the press was “in direct contravention to the very fabric of our democracy.”