AFSPA imposed in Manipur's six police station areas including Jiribam
Close on the heels of killings of 10 Kuki militants in Jiribam areas and tension prevailing in some areas, the bitter pill ‘Disturbed Areas’ notification under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has been re-imposed in jurisdiction of six police stations in Manipur’s valley areas.
This has also come nearly 19 months into the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state.
Things look grim and serious in the ethnic-violence hit state as the civil society organisations are also poised to boycott 'all national parties' in Manipur.
In a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday, Nov 14, the ‘Disturbed Areas’ status – which was in place for all of Manipur except 19 police stations in the state’s Meitei-dominated valley areas – has now been extended to the jurisdictions of Sekmai and Lamsang police stations in Imphal West, Lamlai in Imphal East, Moirang in Bishnupur, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi,
and Jiribam police station.
Among other things, the Act empowers an officer of the armed forces to “fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death” against “any person who is acting in contravention of any law or order” if they are of the opinion that it is necessary.
The police stations excluded from the Manipur government's October 1 order of AFSPA imposition were Imphal, Lamphal, City, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Lamlai, Irilbung, Leimakhong, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol, Moirang, Kakching, Jiribam.
It also disallows prosecution of security officers and personnel acting under the Act except with the sanction of the Central Government. Essentially this gives the necessary but unbridled power to the central forces to deal with the complex and highly demanding situations in the wake of violence and clashes.
The MHA stated that a review of the situation in Manipur found that the situation continues to be “volatile” and “intermittent firing in violence prone areas continues in the fringe areas of Bishnupur-Churachandpur, Imphal East-Kangpokpi-Imphal West and Jiribam districts”.
It also stated that in many of these incidents, there have been instances of the “active participation of insurgent groups in heinous acts of violence”.
It stated that the imposition of the ‘Disturbed Areas’ status in these six areas was found 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”.
Manipur has had the ‘Disturbed Area’ status under the AFSPA since 1980, and it was only withdrawn from some parts of Imphal in 2004 following strong protests after the killing of 32-year-old Thangjam Manorama earlier that year.
Since 2022, the areas notified as ‘Disturbed Areas’ had been incrementally reduced, and effective April 1 2023, it had been withdrawn from the jurisdiction of 19 police stations, all located in the state’s Meitei-dominated valley.
Soon after, the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state broke out on May 3, 2023.
The ‘Disturbed Areas’ notification is applicable for a period of six months, following which it can be periodically extended by the Ministry of Home Affairs after assessing the situation.
The notification issued on Wednesday is effective from October 1.
20 more CAPF companies for Manipur
The Centre has decided to provide an additional 20 Companies of CAPFs comprising 15 companies of CRPF and five companies of BSF in order to maintain the escalating law and order situation in Manipur.
The civil society organisations in Manipur are prepared to initiate a campaign of mass resignations by all Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) if their demands are not fulfilled within seven days.
According to Rongmei Naga Students’ Organization (RNSOM), two trucks carrying essential goods, including rice, onions, and potatoes, were ambushed early Wednesday, Nov 13, along National Highway 37.
The ethnically diverse Jiribam, which was largely untouched by the clashes in Imphal Valley and the adjoining hills, witnessed violence after the mutilated body of a farmer was found in a field in June this year.
Eleven suspected Kuki militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces on Monday after insurgents in camouflage uniforms and armed with sophisticated weapons fired indiscriminately at a police station and an adjacent CRPF camp in Manipur's Jiribam district.
A day later, six civilians, including women and children, were abducted by armed militants from the same district.
More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.
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