Participants burn a Citizenship Amendment Act document as part of the ‘North East Black Day’ protest in Kohima on December 11. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | December 11
In compliance with the directive of the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), the Naga Students' Federation (NSF) today observed “North East Black Day” against the imposition of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019 at Naga Solidarity Park, Kohima.
Opposing the Centre’s move, the NSF hoisted black flags and later burnt a CAA document in the presence of officials from NESO and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU).
In his keynote address, NESO Secretary General Mutsikhoyo Yhobu said that people across the North-East observed ‘Black Day’ against the imposition of the CAA.
On this day, 11 December 2019, the Government of India passed the CAA, he said, adding that from the beginning, NESO had been voicing that the Act should not be imposed on the NE region.
However, he maintained that Parliament passed the CAA without listening to the voices of the students’ community and the indigenous people of the North-East.
He said NESO has declared December 11 as Black Day across the North-East, reiterating that the organisation had urged the Government of India not to implement the CAA in the region to safeguard indigenous communities.
However, he noted that their appeal was not heeded and called on all to speak up and stand together against the Act.
‘We will not accept CAA’: NSF
NSF President Mteisuding stated that they were standing for the rights of indigenous people, adding that the Federation has been raising black flags to convey resentment to the Government of India, that it is against the CAA and will not accept it, “which is going to scrap the right and identity of the indigenous people.”
“Let us put our heads together and stand together for the rights of our younger generations,” he urged, adding that the NSF will continue to oppose the CAA until it is scrapped.
NSF General Secretary Kenilo Kent also stated that it stands along with the rest of the people of the North-East to reaffirm its conviction that the CAA is “unjust, discriminatory in nature and a direct threat” to the indigenous people of the region.
“We oppose it because our homeland is not just a physical space; it is the cradle of our culture, identity and history,” he added.
He said that the NSF reiterated its commitment against any policy that seeks to “suppress our people and subjugate our rights” and would continue to stand firm as a strong pillar of NESO on any issue of interest concerning the people.
In his address, AAPSU Vice President (Protocol) Nabam Gandhi said that any Act which is to be enacted as a law should first study its social, cultural and economic impact on the people.
The CAA is socially and economically detrimental for the people of the North-East, he said.
Senchumo NSN Lotha, former NSF President and former NESO Secretary General, delivered the concluding remark, while NSF Editor Pithungo Shitio invoked God’s grace at the event.
