Senior advocate and former chairperson of Manipur Human Rights Commission Khaidem Mani has criticized the Ministry of Home Affairs decision to reimpose the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in six police station areas in Manipur’s valley districts, describing it as an attempt to divert attention from the core issues of the ongoing crisis.
Speaking to media persons at his residence, Khaidem Mani called the reimposition an “invitation for public uproar,” emphasizing the historical struggles of the people against the act.
“The people of Manipur have already endured the cruelty of AFSPA,” he said, recalling the massive protests and movements that led to its partial removal in the past.
He attributed the earlier successes in lifting AFSPA to public pressure and the efforts of the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party (DRPP), a political party that had two MLAs at the time, including the current chief minister N Biren and former MP Thokchom Meinya.
These efforts, he noted, were galvanized by public outrage following incidents such as the brutal rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama and the prolonged hunger strike of activist Irom Sharmila.
Khaidem Mani highlighted the timeline of AFSPA’s application in the state. The act, initially imposed across Manipur on September 8, 1980, was first lifted from seven assembly segments of Greater Imphal on August 13, 2004, following widespread protests. In 2022, it was further removed from 15 more police station areas, marking significant progress in the fight against its enforcement.
Addressing recent reports of rising antisocial activities in the valley areas, Mani dismissed the need for AFSPA to handle such incidents.
“These activities should be controlled by the police,” he asserted, adding that empowering local law enforcement agencies would be a more appropriate solution than reintroducing a law notorious for its harsh measures.
The senior advocate’s remarks come amid growing criticism of the government’s decision to extend AFSPA, with many viewing it as a regressive step that undermines the progress made in restoring civilian governance and human rights in the region.
