Imphal: The Manipur government on Wednesday extended the imposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the whole State — except in the jurisdiction of 19 police stations in seven districts of the Imphal Valley — for another six months.
The “disturbed area” status under the Act will remain applicable in all the hill districts, which are dominated by tribal communities. However, since 2022, AFSPA has been gradually withdrawn from the valley districts, which are dominated by the Meitei community, due to a “significant improvement” in the security situation.
The State government’s notification maintaining this “status quo” is applicable from October 1. It comes despite the army’s demand for the re-imposition of AFSPA in the valley districts, arguing that its absence had hampered operations against insurgent groups. After a lull of many years, these groups are said to have regained a foothold in the State during the current wave of ethnic violence.
The State government’s notification maintaining this “status quo” is applicable from October 1. It comes despite the army’s demand for the re-imposition of AFSPA in the valley districts, arguing that its absence had hampered operations against insurgent groups. After a lull of many years, these groups are said to have regained a foothold in the State during the current wave of ethnic violence.
The insurgent groups, mostly operating from Myanmar, advocate the secession of Manipur from India. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) registered a suo-motu case on July 19 to investigate a transnational conspiracy by the Myanmar-based leadership of these terror outfits to wage a war against the government by “exploiting the current ethnic unrest.”
At least 175 people have been killed since ethnic violence between the majority Meitei and the tribal Kuki people erupted in the State on May 3. This is the highest number of civilians who have been killed in the State since 1999, though as many as 158 people were killed in 2005.