Stealthy extension of AFSPA
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: January 12, 2022 -

IT'S an irony that amid persistent claims by the ruling party leaders that the law and order situation in Manipur has improved significantly since formation of the BJP-led coalition government, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, has been extended for one year but the notification issued on December 8 was not made public unlike in the past when such orders used to be widely circulated.

The only reason perceivable for keeping the notification under wrap might be the growing demand for repealing the AFSPA from the northeast region in the aftermath of death of 14 civilians in Nagaland's Mon district in early part of December, 2021 in a botched counter-insurgency operation.

The November ambush in Churachandpur district that left six security personnel injured and claimed the lives of seven others, including an Assam Rifles colonel and four personnel followed by the January 5 bomb explosion in which the Assam Rifles lost one of its soldiers and another left injured were the only major insurgency-related incidents in a year's time and could be the basis for prolonging the disturbed area status in the state with exception of seven assembly segments covered by the Imphal Municipal Corporation.

With the state assembly election round the corner, the government of Manipur is also certain to have weighed the pros and cons of continuing with the imposition of the pro-military Act, especially in the backdrop of many civil societies, rights bodies and student organisations renewing the call for scrapping the AFSPA and making the security forces accountable for their acts.

However, as the demand for withdrawal of the Act is primarily aimed at deterring the men in uniform from abusing the constitutional powers has been central to every election conducted so far in the state, the incumbent government's apprehension that extending the disturbed area status might be detrimental to its political interest seems both unfounded and presumptuous.

As such, the purported attempt to formalise extension of AFSPA sans making it public implies that the state government is aware of the people's anti-AFSPA sentiment but is incapable of doing the needful fearing backlash from the Union government, even if repealing or retaining the status is within its ambit.

Had the government authorities not patted itself over improvement in the law and order situation during its tenure then it would have been digestible that the notification issued by special secretary (Home) H Gyan Prakash cited opinion of the Governor that due to violent activities of various extremist/insurgent groups, the entire state of Manipur is in such a disturbed condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary.

While it is understandable that field soldiers of both state and central forces wouldn't be amused with any move to dilute their power while operating in terrorism/insurgency hit states but the fact remains that the constitutional provisions had been frequently misused as could be comprehended from the Supreme Court's unrelenting stand that all those found guilty of stage-managed killings should stand trial and made to repent for violation of the people's basic rights.