Act removed from 3 & partially from 4 districts of Nagaland
Act fully removed from Tuensang, Shamator and Tseminyu districts and partially removed from Kohima, Wokha, Longleng and Mokokchung districts.
Act removed from 23 districts of Assam
The districts include Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Hojai, Morigaon, Kamrup (M), Darrang, Kamrup, Nalbari, Barpeta, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, South-Salmara, Mancachar, Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri, Karimganj, Hailakandi and one sub-division- headquarter sub-division of Cachar district except Lakhipur sub-division.
Act removed from 6 districts of Manipur
The six districts and 15 police stations include Imphal West (Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi), Imphal East (Porompat, Heingang, Lamlai Irilbung), Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching and Jiribam.
In a major development, the Centre has reduced the disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur.
The move comes three months after December 4, 2021 Oting massacre where 13 were massacred by the 21 Paras and another killed during violent protest in Mon the next day by Assam Rifles, that has led to widespread demand for removal of AFSPA.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Disturbed Area Notification, which was in force in the whole of Nagaland from 1995, was being withdrawn from 15 police stations in seven districts in Nagaland with effect from April 1, 2022.
After removal from these areas, the ‘Disturbed Area’ notification will remain in force in 57 police stations in 13 districts out of 72 police stations in total of 16 districts in the state of Nagaland.
It was learnt that notification would be fully removed from Tuensang, Shamator and Tseminyu districts and partially from Kohima, Wokha, Longleng and Mokokchung districts.
Announcing the government’s decision, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a series of tweets, said: “In a significant step, GoI (Government of India) under the decisive leadership of PM Shri @NarendraModi Ji has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.”
The home minister said the reduction in areas under AFSPA is the result of the improved security situation and fast-tracked development due to consistent efforts of the Modi government. He said several agreements were signed with militant groups to end insurgency and bring lasting peace to the Northeast. “Thanks to PM @NarendraModi Ji’s unwavering commitment, our North-Eastern region, which was neglected for decades is now witnessing a new era of peace, prosperity and unprecedented development. I congratulate the people of North East on this momentous occasion,” Shah said.
MHA informed that AFSPA was being removed completely from 23 districts and partially from one district of Assam with effect from April 1, 2022.
Further, the ministry stated that 15 police station areas of six districts of Manipur will be excluded from the Disturbed Area Notification with effect from April 1, 2022.
Chief Ministers of 3 NE states welcome move
Chief Ministers of three North East states—Nagaland, Assam and Manipur have welcomed the Centre’s move to reduce AFSPA in their states.
The AFSPA has been in force for decades in the three states to assist the armed forces operating there to tackle insurgency.
Taking to twitter, Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio said “Grateful to GoI under the leadership of @PMOIndia Shri @narendramodi ji & @AmitShah ji for reducing disturbed areas under AFSPA in the states of Nagaland, Assam & Manipur. This is a significant development towards bringing stability, security & prosperity to the North East region.”
In Assam, where the disturbed area notification is in force in the entire state since 1990, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “I wholeheartedly welcome Adarniya PM Shri @narendramodi ji’s decision to withdraw AFSPA from all areas of Assam barring nine districts and one subdivision.”
In a series of tweets, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh said “This historic decision is a result of the robust development and improved security situation under various initiatives taken up by Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji in the North East.
“This decision will lead to a new era of peace, prosperity and development in Manipur yet again.”
However, the reaction of civil society and intellectuals in Nagaland and Manipur varied from being cautiously optimistic to outright angry.
In Nagaland where the disturbed area notification is in force since 1995, Naga Hoho general secretary K Elu Ndang welcomed the development but said, “Our demand is complete revocation of AFSPA from all Naga inhabited areas in particular and the North East region in general.”
Naga Hoho is the apex organisation of Nagas in four NE States – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.
Naga People’s Front (NPF) secretary general Achumbemo Kikon said, “The Act (AFSPA) has acted only against democracy”, and urged the Centre to consider its repeal.
Naga Mothers Association (NMA) advisor Rosemary Dzuvichu termed the decision “very unfair” as the public demand was to repeal the Act which “violates every kind of human rights”.
“Such small favours are unacceptable,” Dzuvichu said. NMA is an influential civil society organisation in the state that has been plagued by insurgency for over six decades.
In Manipur, Director Human Rights Alert Babloo Loitongbam said, “We welome it. It is a step in the right direction but our movement for the repeal of AFSPA will continue.”
A home ministry spokesperson said in comparison to 2014, there has been a reduction of 74 per cent in militancy related incidents in 2021 in the Northeast. Similarly, the deaths of security personnel and civilians have also come down by 60 per cent and 84 per cent respectively during this period.
To realise the prime minister’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous Northeast, the home minister has held talks with all the states of the region on a regular basis. As a result, most of the extremist groups have laid down their arms, and expressed faith in the Constitution and the policies of the Modi government, the spokesperson said, adding about 7,000 militants have surrendered in the last few years.