The Centre on Sunday extended by six months the enforcement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in restive Manipur, with government sources citing the need to counter “insurgent groups”.
The “draconian” AFSPA, in force across Manipur except for 13 police station areas, gives wide powers to the armed forces to search, arrest and shoot in areas designated as “disturbed”.
Violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zos since May 3, 2023, has killed over 260 people and displaced 60,000 in Manipur, which has been under President’s rule sinceFebruary 13.
“Although the Centre is taking necessary measures, the road to peace is going to be long,” a security official attached to the Union homeministry said.
A Union home ministry notification announced a six-month extension of the AFSPA also in 8 districts of Nagaland and 21 police station areas in 5 other districts of the state.
Ditto for the Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh and three police station areas inNamsai district.
The police station areas in Manipur where the AFSPA will not be in force are Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Irilbung, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol and Kakching.
Parliament had enacted the AFSPA in 1958 to enable the security forces to deal with the Naga armed insurgency. It was extended to Jammu and Kashmir in July 1990.