The ‘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, nearly 19 months into the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state.
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| The Indian government has reinstated the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in six police station areas of Manipur, |
In a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday, 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. It also disallows prosecution of persons acting under the Act except with the sanction of the Central Government.
In the notification, 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Manipur has had the ‘Disturbed Area’ status under the AFSPA since 1980, and it was only withdrawn from some parts of Imphal in 2004 following strong protests after the killing of 32-year-old Thangjam Manorama earlier that year.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2022, the areas notified as ‘Disturbed Areas’ had been incrementally reduced, and effective April 1 2023, it had been withdrawn from the jurisdiction of 19 police stations, all located in the state’s Meitei-dominated valley.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
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.