The Kuki Liberation Army-Letkholun (KLA-L) has called for the re-notification of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Imphal Municipal Area, stating that the move is a “legal necessity, not political choice.”
In a press communiqué issued by its Department of Information and Publicity, the group cited a series of developments since May 2023, including attacks on police infrastructure, looting of over 4,000 weapons from armories, and repeated incidents of mob violence that allegedly overwhelmed civil administration.
It claimed that mobs had blockaded key highways such as NH-2 and NH-37 for extended periods, disrupting essential supplies, and that the use of automatic firearms and improvised explosive devices in civilian areas had been recorded.
Arguing its case on legal grounds, the statement said, “The legal test u/s 3. AFSPA 1958 has been met. AFSPA does not require war or insurgency.” It further cited the Supreme Court judgment in “Naga People’s Movement v. Union of India (1997)” to assert that “widespread public disorder” beyond the control of civil authorities justifies the declaration of a “disturbed area.”
The communiqué noted that despite the presence of over 20,000 personnel from the police and central forces, multiple police stations had been attacked or burned between May 2023 and April 2026. It also pointed to frequent imposition of curfews and instances where district authorities sought army intervention, describing this as evidence of administrative strain.
The KLA-L argued that the withdrawal of AFSPA from Imphal in 2004 and 2022 was based on the assumption that the valley remained peaceful, an assumption it claimed had been disproved in recent years. It stated that the absence of the Act in the capital while remaining in nearby hill districts had created a “security vacuum.”
Proposing a limited approach, the group said AFSPA should be imposed in Imphal for six months with defined review conditions, including recovery of looted arms, prevention of attacks on police stations, and uninterrupted movement along key highways.
“To oppose AFSPA in Imphal today is to confuse sentiment with security,” the statement said, adding, “We choose statute, scrutiny, and sunset clause over street rule.”
The communiqué also raised concerns about what it described as differential treatment in addressing security and political demands, asserting that “law must be applied without discrimination.” It urged authorities to notify Imphal under Section 3 of AFSPA and conduct a review after six months.
