The Kukis seem to be hell-bent on pushing for Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 (AFSPA) to be re-imposed once again in the valley districts of Manipur. Whenever some violent incidents happen with the state failing in its responsibility to tackle or deal with situations, Kuki CSOs and leaders would turn up the volume for AFSPA in the valley. AFSPA was lifted from the Imphal Municipal area in 2004 and gradually it was lifted from areas under the jurisdiction of 19 police stations in the valley districts.
Although AFSPA was still in force in the hills of Manipur, incidents of human rights violation had by and large come down all over the state. And for the record, one must understand that years of movement and persistence by different groups mostly in the valley had led to its subsequent withdrawal. From relentless campaigns and struggles involving different modes of protest, the demand for repeal of AFSPA was placed even in international forums culminating in the 2004 which forced the state to withdraw the dreaded Act.
It was indeed a victory for the people of the valley who rose up and stood steadfast for the values of human rights, while some others including the Kukis remained a spectator at the sidelines. They did not join the movement then and now they are demanding its re-imposition; at whose behest one never knows. Maybe, it is because the CSOs and people in the valley are demanding abrogation of SoO with the Kuki militants and maybe they also have in mind to join the counter-insurgency operations in the valley. And who is encouraging them? The security establishment or the ‘deep state’ at work?
AFSPA does not differentiate whether one is Meitei or Naga or Kuki. Years of experience tell us that under the shadow of AFSPA, the armed forces operate with impunity and get away with torture, rapes, killings and fake encounters while prosecution is a mirage. Compared to other north-eastern states, Nagaland was most affected by the AFSPA regime where entire villages were razed to the ground. Assam had also witnessed atrocities and several instances of human rights violations. There were few voices of solidarity to the 2004 movement beyond the state.
However, the 2021 incident of civilian killings at Oting of Mon district in Nagaland seems to have ignited the general public in the Northeast to openly voice for its repeal. One may note here that, the 2004 movement was not for withdrawal of AFSPA, but for its repeal. However, the movement for repeal of AFSPA was mainly concentrated in the valley areas while it was given lip-service by others. After a prolonged movement in 2004 in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of Manorama Devi, the then O Ibobi led Congress government had withdrawn it from seven assembly constituencies of Greater Imphal despite objections from the Centre. There were demands for repealing the Act from the whole of Manipur from various sections of the society as a result of overall improvement in the law and order situation of the state. It is the life and property of civilian lives we are talking about.
Time and again, it has been opined that AFSPA is a direct threat to the ‘Right to Life’ both at the national and international forums. And, we all understand the security establishment had never been in favour of withdrawal of AFSPA from Manipur or other parts of the Northeast. They had been resisting the demand even with the political establishment favouring it.
