AFSPA Reimposed in Manipur’s Volatile Regions Amid Ethnic Violence

Keywords ; AFSPA, Manipur, ethnic violence, disturbed area, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Jiribam, public order, Meitei-Kuki conflict

The Union Home Ministry recently announced the reimplementation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in six police station areas across Manipur, including the violence-stricken Jiribam district. This decision, prompted by ongoing ethnic unrest, aims to enhance the capacity of armed forces to address the volatile situation and maintain public order. Under AFSPA, armed forces in “disturbed areas” hold extensive powers, including the authority to search, arrest, and open fire to preserve order.

The specific areas now under AFSPA’s ambit are Sekmai and Lamsang in Imphal West, Lamlai in Imphal East, Jiribam in Jiribam district, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi, and Moirang in Bishnupur. This fresh declaration follows the Manipur government’s earlier October 1 order, which imposed AFSPA across the state except for 19 designated police station areas, including these six. These exclusions were part of a phased relaxation that began in April 2022 when the Manipur government lifted the disturbed area status from selected police jurisdictions in Imphal, Thoubal, Bishnupur, and other districts.

The AFSPA reinstatement comes in the wake of escalating conflict, particularly in Jiribam, where 11 insurgents were killed in a recent confrontation with security forces. The area has seen heightened tension, with civilians, including women and children, reportedly abducted by armed militants following violent attacks on a police station and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp.

Ethnic clashes in Manipur have sharply escalated since May last year, particularly between the Imphal Valley-based Meitei and the hills-based Kuki-Zo communities. The violence has claimed more than 200 lives, displaced thousands, and left the community grappling with deep-seated division and trauma. While Jiribam, a region marked by its ethnic diversity, initially avoided the turmoil, the discovery of a farmer’s mutilated body in June marked a troubling shift.

AFSPA has been a contentious issue in India’s northeastern states and Jammu & Kashmir, facing criticism for its alleged “draconian” provisions that grant armed forces immunity in conflict zones. Manipur has been at the heart of AFSPA protests, highlighted by activist Irom Sharmila’s 16-year hunger strike, which concluded in 2016. The latest move to reinstate AFSPA in specific regions signals a response to growing unrest but also highlights the challenges in balancing security needs with public demand for civil protections.

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