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New Delhi: The BJP-led Indian government has reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in six police station areas of Manipur, a state currently experiencing significant violence.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Indian Home Ministry issued a notification stating that the decision to reimpose AFSPA was made due to the ongoing volatile situation in the region, which has been marked by ethnic violence. The areas affected by this reimposition include Sekmai and Lamsang in Imphal West, Lamlai in Imphal East, Jiribam in Jiribam district, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi, and Moirang in Bishnupur district.
The reimplementation of AFSPA follows an earlier imposition across the entire state by the BJP-led Manipur government on October 1, 2023. AFSPA grants emergency powers to military and paramilitary forces, allowing them to conduct arrests without warrants and search properties, among other authorities.
This decision comes amid heightened violence, with recent incidents underscoring the gravity of the situation. Reports indicate that on Monday, Indian forces engaged in a gunfight in Jiribam district, resulting in the deaths of 11 individuals from the Christian-majority Kuki tribes. The subsequent day saw the abduction of six civilians, including women and children, by unidentified armed men in the same district, escalating concerns over civilian safety, particularly for the Kuki communities.
Since May 2023, Manipur has been engulfed in violent ethnic clashes between the predominantly Hindu Meitei community and the Kuki tribal groups, who are primarily Christian. These clashes have resulted in over 200 deaths, predominantly affecting the Kuki groups, and have displaced thousands, forcing many into makeshift camps.
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