Rights activist Irom Sharmila has said the recent killing of civilians in Nagaland by security forces should be an eye-opener to revoke the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the Northeast.

Sharmila, who was on a 16-year hunger strike against the AFSPA, said the Act is not only an oppressive regulation, it tantamounts to gross violation of basic human rights.

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without a prior warrant.

In the Northeast, it is in force in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur (excluding Imphal Municipal Council Area) and some districts of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Assam.

โ€œThe Nagaland incident has once again shown why the draconian AFSPA should be withdrawn from the northeast. It should be an eye-opener. Human lives are not so cheap,โ€ Sharmila told a news agency.

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

She said that in the name of battling insurgency, the government canโ€™t take away peopleโ€™s basic rights.

At leastย 14 civilians were killedย by security forces at Oting in Nagalandโ€™s Mon district recently.

Sharmila said that it is high time the Centre and state governments sit together and take a relook at AFSPA.