In Indias northeast, the armed forces have been involved in fighting armed insurrection for almost six decades. There have been innumerable instances where the Indian armed forces empowered by special laws behaved like occupational force and subjected entire Naga villages to intimidation and torture. These actions of the Indian army are being justified that it is necessary to do so to maintain law and order. The leaders of the country view the Naga conflict as a perpetual national challenge and resort to military means to tackle this challenge. Therefore a good number of repressive laws were enacted in the post independent period. These laws have resulted in the imposition of a virtual military rule not only in the Naga areas but in many parts of India. The laws were subsequently formulated to give the security forces the legal sanction to violate rights of its citizens. With its dismal human rights record and stagnant economic growth rates, northeast is a counterpoint to Indias image as a mature democracy, a dynamic economy and an emerging major power.