NEW DELHI — The
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday extended the Armed Forces (Special
Powers) Act for another six months in certain parts of Manipur, Arunachal
Pradesh and Nagaland, officials said, adding that further extension of the law
would be effective from April 1.
The AFSPA, which 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", was on Sunday extended for six
more months in the entire state of Manipur, excluding the areas falling under
the jurisdiction of the 13 police stations of five districts – Imphal West,
Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching. There are 16 districts in
Manipur, which have been devastated by the ethnic violence between the majority
Meitei and the minority Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribals since May 3, 2023.
The MHA notification said that the Central government, after
review of the law and order situation in the state of Manipur, in exercise of
the powers conferred by Section 3 of the AFSPA, 1958, extended the law for
another six months with effect from April 1.
A separate notification of the MHA said that the AFSPA has
been extended in eight districts of Nagaland -- Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima,
Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek and Peren and 21 police stations in five other
districts – Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha, and Zunheboto and these areas
declared "disturbed area" for a period of six months with effect from
April 1.
Another MHA notification said that the AFSPA has also been
extended in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and
the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham
police stations in Namsai district of the state, bordering the state of Assam,
and these areas declared as ‘disturbed area’ for a period of six months with
effect from April 1.
The law and order situations of the areas of Nagaland and
Arunachal Pradesh, where the AFSPA has been extended, were also reviewed by the
government.
Manipur has been under President's rule since February 13,
four days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who was heading a BJP-led
government for the second term, resigned on February 9, following ethnic
violence for over 23 months.
Many organisations in Manipur, including the Manipuri Students’
Federation (MSF), the Nupi Khunai (Yairipok), and the Meira Paibis have been
agitating, demanding withdrawal of the AFSPA from the state. The Manipur
government in October last year 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.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on
Thursday that the MHA has lifted the AFSPA from the Dibrugarh district. Despite
its removal from Dibrugarh, the Act will remain in effect in Tinsukia,
Sibsagar, and Charaideo districts. Sarma highlighted the gradual reduction of
the AFSPA's coverage in Assam.
"At one time, the entire state was under AFSPA. The
Centre has steadily reduced the areas where the Act applies. Today, the Union
Home Ministry decided to remove the 'disturbed area' designation from
Dibrugarh, leaving only three districts under AFSPA. We aim to reduce this
further in the coming days," the Chief Minister had said.
The AFSPA was originally imposed across Assam in 1990,
during a peak in insurgent activities led by the United Liberation Front of
Asom (ULFA). Since then, it has been renewed every six months, with periodic
reviews leading to the gradual exclusion of certain areas based on the
prevailing security situation.
