Govt. To Extend AFSPA in Manipur
Imphal: The Manipur government on Tuesday extended the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for one year.
The act has been imposed in the entire state excluding the capital city Imphal.
In an order, Special Secretary (Home) H Gyan Prakash asserted that Governor La Ganesan has declared Manipur, except for the Imphal municipal jurisdiction, as a “disturbed area” under the provisions of the Act.
”Whereas the Governor of Manipur is of the opinion that due to violent activities of various extremists/insurgents groups, the entire state of Manipur is in such a disturbed condition that the use of Armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary,” the notification dated December 8th read.
”Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (Act no.28 of 1958) as amended from time to time, the Governor of Manipur hereby accords ex-post facto approval to declare the entire State of Manipur excluding the Imphal Municipal Area as ”Disturbed Area” for a period of 1 (One) year with retrospective effect from December 1, 2021,” the notification further read.
Notably, the Centre had also extended AFSPA in Nagaland till June 30 next year, declaring the entire state as a ‘disturbed area’.
“Whereas the Central Government is of the opinion that the entire area comprising the whole of the state of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that use of armed forces in aid of Civil is necessary,” according to the Gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The AFSPA empowers the security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant. It also gives immunity to the forces if they shoot someone dead.
Meanwhile, demanding the repeal of the AFSPA, hundreds of Nagas from different walks of life on Monday joined the two-day walkathon from Nagaland’s Dimapur to state capital Kohima, a distance of more than 70 km.
The march began at the Super Market area of Dimapur with volunteers and participants holding placards, demanding the repeal of the AFSPA and justice for the victims, who were killed by security forces in a botched anti-insurgency operation in Mon district over December 4 and 5.
