Zomi Council for AFSPA in entire state
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 28 2023:
The Zomi Council Steering Committee (ZCSC) has submitted a memorandum to the Union home minister calling for promulgation of AFSPA 1958 throughout Manipur.
The memorandum also called upon the Union home minister for expediting the ongoing political talks with the UPF and KNO so that an administrative setup for the Zo people in the form of a Union Territory with Legislature totally separated from Manipur can be created at the earliest to prevent further loss of lives and properties before the impact of the ethnic cleansing spreads like wildfire across the region.
According to the ZCSC memorandum, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was extended only in tribal territories of Manipur by declaring these areas as 'Disturbed Areas' while excluding the valley areas dominated by the Meetei community.
The memorandum also emphasised that imposition of AFSPA could be the only way to ensure timely recovery of the thousands of arms and ammunition looted from the state armouries, and avert any impending national security crisis in the process.