The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has re-imposed the ‘Disturbed Areas’ notification under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the jurisdictions of six police stations in Manipur’s valley areas, nearly 19 months into the state’s ongoing ethnic conflict.
In a notification issued on Thursday, the MHA extended the ‘Disturbed Areas’ status, which had previously been in place for all of Manipur except for 19 police stations in the Meitei-dominated valley. The newly affected areas include the jurisdictions of Sekmai and Lamsang police stations in Imphal West, Lamlai in Imphal East, Moirang in Bishnupur, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi, and Jiribam police station.
The AFSPA, which has been in effect in Manipur since 1980, grants armed forces personnel the authority to take extreme measures, including the use of deadly force, in areas deemed to be disturbed. Under the Act, forces are allowed to “fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death” against any person who is acting in contravention of the law, without facing prosecution unless sanctioned by the Central Government.
The MHA’s notification explains that the decision to re-impose the ‘Disturbed Areas’ status in these regions was made after a review of the situation in the state. The review found that the situation remains “volatile,” with “intermittent firing in violence-prone areas” continuing in regions including Bishnupur-Churachandpur, Imphal East-Kangpokpi-Imphal West, and Jiribam districts. The MHA also noted the involvement of insurgent groups in several violent incidents, further justifying the need for increased security measures.
The notification states that the re-imposition of the ‘Disturbed Areas’ status would facilitate “well-coordinated operations by the security forces to maintain the security situation and contain the activities of insurgent groups in these areas.”