Amid escalation of violence, AFSPA reimposed in 6 police station areas in Manipur

NEW DELHI/IMPHAL, (IANS): Amid the escalating violence, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday reimposed the stringent Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958  six police station areas of five Manipur districts, including the recent violence-hit Jiribam, to give more powers to the army and paramilitary forces to take stringent action against the militants and other armed cadres.

The MHA notification said that the security situation in Manipur has been further reviewed in consultation with the stakeholders and it is noted that the situation continues to remain volatile amidst ongoing ethnic violence in the state.

"Intermittent firing in violence-prone areas continues in the fringe areas of Bishnupur-Churachandpur, Imphal East-Kangpokpi-Imphal West, and Jirihan districts with several instances of active participation of insurgent groups in heinous acts of violence. .....the Central government is of the opinion that imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in six police stations of 5 districts in Manipur is warranted to carry out well-coordinated operations by the security forces to maintain the security situation and contain the activities of insurgent groups in these areas," the notification said.

The AFSPA gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary for the "maintenance of public order".

The six police stations, where the AFSPA was reimposed on Thursday include Moirang in Bishnupur district, Lamlai in Imphal East district, Jiribam in Jiribam district, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi district, and Sekmai and Lamsang, both in Imphal West district.

The Manipur government in October extended the promulgation of the AFSPA in the entire state, except in the jurisdiction of 19 police stations in seven districts of the Imphal Valley, for another six months with effect from October 1. These six police stations were out of the purview of the AFSPA in the Manipur government order.

After a series of incidents of violence in different districts of Manipur, the CRPF, on November 11, shot dead 10 suspected Kuki militants in an encounter and the militants kidnapped 10 people, all inmates of a relief camp at Jakuradhor in Jiribam district.

Meanwhile, the MHA has also provided an additional 20 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to deal with the prevailing law and order situation.

A top Manipur Home Department official said that the 20 companies of CAPF (around 1,700 to 1,800 personnel) arrived in the state on Wednesday and Thursday and they would be deployed in militancy-affected districts.

According to the MHA communication - accessed by IANS - to the Manipur Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, and Director General of Police, out of the 20 companies of CAPF, 15 will be from the CRPF and five of the BSF.

The AFSPA was in force in militancy-hit areas of Manipur (except the Imphal municipality area) from 2004 to early 2022. In April 2022, the Manipur government issued a notification clarifying that the AFSPA no longer be required in seven police station areas of Imphal West district, four police station areas under the Imphal East district, and one police station area each in the districts of Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Jiribam.

Manipur has 16 districts comprising non-tribal-dominated Meitei Valley region and tribal-inhabited mountainous areas. There have been protests and demands by various political parties and civil society organisations for the complete repeal and withdrawal of AFSPA from the entire northeast region as these organisations termed the law as "draconian" provisions. Manipur’s rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila fought against the AFSPA by observing a hunger strike for 16 years, before ending it on August 9, 2016.