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

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.