Extend AFSPA to entire Manipur to recover looted arms: Kuki MLAs

Security personnel during a search operation in the fringe and vulnerable areas of hill and valley districts of Manipur. (Courtesy: PTI photo)

Manipur Assembly's 10 Kuki MLAs, including seven of the state’s ruling BJP-led alliance, have demanded that AFSPA be extended to the entire state to recover looted arms.

The Centre on November 14 reimposed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur's six police station areas, including the violence-hit Jiribam, with the Union Home Ministry asserting that the decision was taken given the "continuous volatile situation" there due to ethnic strife. Now, the entire state, except the areas under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations, is under AFSPA.

In a joint statement, the 10 Kuki MLAs said, "The imposition of AFSPA as per orders dated 14 November, 2024 indeed needs immediate review to extend the Act in the remaining 13 police jurisdictions." They asserted that AFSPA should be imposed in the entire state in order to facilitate the recovery of the “more than 6,000 sophisticated weapons” looted by Meiteis since May 3 last year as it is a long overdue action required to contain the violence.

Ethnic violence between Meities and Kukis began on May 3, 2023, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the state’s hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. More than 220 people have been killed in the violence since then.

The central and state governments must take all necessary steps to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur by initiating political dialogue to bring lasting peace to the troubled region, according to the statement of the Kuki legislators including five of the BJP and two of JD(U).

The 10 tribal legislators also criticised the resolution adopted by the MLAs of the ruling BJP-led NDA in Manipur, calling for a "mass operation" against the Kuki militants responsible for killing three women and three children in Jiribam district within seven days.

The Kuki legislators alleged that the resolution was "divisive, one-sided and communal”.

They also claimed that the resolution seeking the handing over of cases relating to the death of six civilians to NIA "smacks of a communalised state".

"We recommend that all civilian killings from the 3rd of May, 2023, both in the valley and hills be handed over to the NIA," they added.