Guwahati News Desk: In a significant decision, the Centre has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.
The order, effective from April 1, would be applicable for six months.
Confirming the decision, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the reduction in areas under AFSPA was the outcome of an improved security situation and fast-tracked development. This, the Union Home Minister said, was possible due to the consistent efforts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to end insurgency and bring lasting peace in North East.
Also, the central government has successfully signed agreements to ensure peace in Northeastern states, which helped reduce insurgency. The past three years have seen the signing of the Bru-Reang refugee agreement for resettlement in Tripura, the Bodo Accord and Karbi-Anglong Agreement in Assam and the NLFT (SD) Agreement to rehabilitate militants in Tripura.
According to the data compiled by the home ministry, the Northeastern States recorded a total of 824 incidents of insurgency when the Narendra Modi government came to power, which came down to 20 in the next five years. Also, casualties of civilians, which were 212 in 2014, came to 2 by 2020.
“In a significant step, GoI under the decisive leadership of PM Shri @NarendraModi Ji has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the States of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades,” Mr Shah tweeted.
He added, “Reduction in areas under AFSPA is a result of the improved security situation and fast-tracked development due to the consistent efforts and several agreements to end insurgency and bring lasting peace in North East by PM @narendramodi government.”
A Ministry official said, “The areas under the AFSPA have been considerably reduced in these three States; it has not been completely removed.”
The Ministry constituted a committee on December 26 last to study if the AFSPA could be withdrawn from some areas in Nagaland in the wake of growing civilian anger against a botched ambush by an elite armed forces unit that led to the killing of 13 civilians at Oting in Mon district on December 4
In the State, the AFSPA was being removed from the jurisdiction of 15 police stations in seven districts but would remain active in 57 police stations in 13 districts. The decision was taken based on the committee’s recommendation.
However, the AFSPA will continue to be effective in the Mon district.
“The disturbed area notification is in force in the whole of Nagaland since 1995. The Central government has accepted the recommendation of the committee for withdrawal of the AFSPA in a phased manner,” the Ministry said.
In Assam, the AFSPA was being removed completely from 23 districts and one district would be covered partially under it.
In the State, the Act will remain effective in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts and the Lakhipur sub-division of Cachar district.
In Manipur, 15 police station areas in six districts of Manipur would be excluded from the disturbed area notification but the law would remain effective in 82 police stations in 16 districts.
The six districts and 15 police stations from where the AFSPA has been revoked in the State are Imphal West (Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi), Imphal East (Porompat, Heingang, Lamlai Irilbung), Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching and Jiribam.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the status quo remained – the AFSPA would remain in force in two police stations of Namsai and Mahadevapur and three districts of Tirap, Changlang, Langding.
