Reasons for dissent against AFSPA expansion
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: April 10, 2025 -

HAVING faced security forces' atrocities when the insurgency movement was most intense in the state from the mid-1980s till the turn of the millennium, it is but natural that every sane person would want total repeal of the pro-military Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) 1958, which among other provisions provides immunity to the men in uniform from undergoing trial in the law court or facing punitive action in-spite of involvement in violation of human rights.

Nevertheless, the same Act is still being invoked by the central government in some north-eastern states, including Manipur, and the restive Jammu and Kashmir under the garb of containing militancy, thereby ringing out the message that shielding the meh and women in uniform from being dragged to the court for offences committed, if any, is more important than guaranteeing safety of the citizens.

Gross violation of human rights is exactly the reason why rights organisations and civil societies have been crying foul whenever the AFSPA is promulgated or its coverage area expanded periodically across the northeast region regardless of the apex court's recommendation for more humane law to tackle elements posing threat to national security rather than giving a free hand to the military personnel.

The draconian aspect of the Act had already been acknowledged by the Supreme Court through a decree for revision of specific provisions which give unbridled powers to the security forces and recommended fixing responsibility on authorities of security forces as and when serious offences are committed by the armed personnel, but to no avail till date as the union government continues to disapprove initiation of prosecution sanction.

Subsequent to extension of the Act in the entire state of Manipur recently, with exception of areas falling under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in the valley districts, six student bodies have jointly condemned the government of India for the continued imposition and expansion of the AFSPA areas and warned of a massive public movement if the controversial law is not withdrawn.

In-spite of the threat to launch agitation against the centre's decision to persist with the Act, there is remote chance of repealing the law as the government seems to have adopted a firm resolve not to budge an inch no matter how intense the pressure is.

In a joint statement issued Monday, influential student bodies such as AIMS, DESAM,, KSA, MSF, SUK and another student organisation alleged that the centre arbitrarily extended the law in areas from where it had previously been lifted and demand immediate repeal of the "black law" which they pointed out had inflicted decades of suffering on the indigenous people of the state.

As the decades under AFSPA had overwhelming cases of armed forces' involvement in widespread human rights abuses, including extra-judicial killings, involuntary disappearances, and other forms of violence, it is but natural that the pro-military law would be despised by organisations advocating rights of the civilians.

Moreover, as the present unrest situation besetting the state is due to the Kuki-Meetei conflict and illegal activities is mainly associated with extortion demands, extending and expanding the AFSPA is being seen as cloaking the centre's failure to bring normalcy and take stringent action against the aggressor.