The killing of 14 civillians in a botched army operation has sparked outrage in Nagaland and beyond. Even as Opposition leaders rail against the Centre in Parliament, the Nagaland government is expected to write to the Centre seeking a repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). While Home Minister Amit Shah had delivered a statement in both Houses of Parliament on Monday, many Oppoosition leaders remain critical about how the situation has been handled. 

Amid brewing discontent in the northeastern state, people observed a shutdown and Section 144 was imposed on the town of Mon. On Monday, the Nagaland Police lodged a murder case against the 21st Para Special Force of the Army.

1. What happened in Nagaland?

14 civilians and one security personnel was killed in related incidents over the weekend in the border town of Mon in Nagaland. The crisis began with the army mistook coal mine workers returning home in a pick-up van on Saturday evening for insurgents belonging to the Yung Aung faction of the banned outfit NSCN(K). As they fired at the vehicle, six civillians were killed and the two remaining occupants of the car were injured. 

The second clash took place after the workers failed to reach home and locals surrounded the  vehicles. In the ensuing clash, one security personnel was killed and the army vehicles were torched. Seven more civilians were killed, with soldiers claiming to have fired in self-defence. The clashes continued on Sunday with a angry mobs vandalising the offices of the Konyak Union and an Assam Rifles camp. At least one other individual was killed as security forces countered the agitators. 

2. What did Home Minister Amit Shah say in Parliament?

Home Minister Amit Shah explained on Monday that the Army had laid an ambush after receiving information on the movement of extremists. “A vehicle reached there, it was signalled to stop but it tried to flee. On suspicion of the vehicle carrying extremists, it was fired upon,” he told the Lok Sabha. It was only later discovered to be a case of mistaken identity. 

Expressing regret over the incident, Shah said that a Special Investigation Team will be completed within a month. He also told the Lok Sabha that the government was keeping a close watch on the evolving situation and necessary measures were being taken. Attending a funeral for the victims, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had told the mourners that Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Commander of 3 Corps Lt Gen J P Mathew had assured him of a thorough probe and punishment to those responsible.

3. Chief Ministers call for AFSPA to be revoked

Two northeastern Chief Ministers as well as numerous Opposition leaders have issued calls for Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) –  a law that gives security forces sweeping powers to maintain law and order in a disturbed area – to be revoked. According to reports, CM Rio will also write to the Centre to call for AFSPA to be withdrawn.

He had earlier said that discussions were needed on the purpose of imposing imposing AFSPA and how to revoke it. “AFSPA gives powers to the Army to arrest civilians without any arrest warrant, raid houses and also kill people. But there is no action against the security forces. They have created a law and order situation,” Rio said during the funeral service in Mon.

“AFSPA should be repealed ,” read a simple tweet from Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma soon after news of the clashes broke. He also told media organisations that AFSPA was ‘counter-productive’. 

4. Opposition outrage

Several Opposition parties have also lent their voice to calls for AFSPA to be revoked. On Monday, the Left parties hit out at the Centre over the civilian deaths and demanded that the Act be repealed. Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi has condemned the firing in Mon district of Nagaland and demanded immediate arrest and punishment of all involved in it. Terming AFSPA a “sensitive matter”, the Trinamool Congress meanwhile called for Home Minister Amit Shah to step down. 

“It is a question of national security versus internal security. We are not saying anything about repealing it or not as we are not privy to secrets of national and internal security. There has to be a proper discussion on AFSPA with all the northeastern states because they do not want it,” noted TMC leader Sushmita Dev.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also hit out at the Home Minister for not “walking away without taking questions” and not listening to what the House had to say. “We can’t afford to let it be perceived by people as something that allows security forces to act with impunity. In a state where the government claims to be engaged in very successful peace talks, look at the kind of condition they have reduced the state to today. In our Congress party manifesto, we had said that AFSPA has to be reviewed,” he added.

5. National Human Rights Commission issues notice to Centre and Nagaland government

The NHRC on Monday issued notices to the Centre and the Nagaland government over the alleged “botched up operation” by the Army Para Commandos. The organisation has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports on the killing of civilians when their vehicle was fired upon. The rights panel said that this had in turn triggered several incidents of arson, rioting and attack on soldiers and Assam Rifles camp, resulting in more injuries and deaths, including that of one soldier.