Nagaland calls off Hornbill Festival over civilian killings

The cabinet of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday decided to call off the ongoing Hornbill Festival in protest against the killing of 14 civilians by security forces, official sources said.

The state government has also decided to write to the Centre demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, they said.

The 10-day Hornbill Festival, the state's largest tourism extravaganza held at Naga Heritage Village in Kisama near the state capital, was scheduled to end on December 10.

The state government had cancelled the day's event at the venue on Monday. Several tribes from eastern Nagaland and other parts of the state had suspended all activities at their respective Morungs over the killing in Mon district.

Rio, while attending the funeral of the 14 civilians in Mon town on Monday, had joined a growing chorus of demands seeking the repeal of AFSPA that gives special powers to security forces in "disturbed areas".

Critics have maintained that the controversial law gives the armed forces to act with impunity, leading to human rights violations.