Women’s protest rally in Imphal against re-imposition of AFSPA in 6 police station areas

Imphal: After the Manipur government and many other organisations, including the civil society, hundreds of women on Monday demanded the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from the state.

Hundreds of women of different ages participated in a rally in the Imphal East district, jointly organised by several organisations including the Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF), the Nupi Khunai (Yairipok), and the Meira Paibis, where they raised the demand.

The rally started from Kongba Bazaar but a huge contingent of security forces stopped it after 3 km at Konung Mamang, one km away from Chief Minister N Biren Singh's Secretariat and then the protestors returned to Kongba Bazaar and held a big gathering.

Carrying banners and placards, the women protestors denounced the violence and urged governments to ensure accountability for human rights violations.

Terming the law as “draconian”, they gave vociferous slogans for the removal of AFSPA from the state and the women urged both the state and Central government to take appropriate steps to stop killing of innocent people in the northeastern state.

Amid the escalating violence, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on November 14 reimposed the stringent law in six police station areas of five Manipur districts, including the recent violence-hit Jiribam, to give more powers to the army and paramilitary forces to take stringent action against the militants and other armed cadres.

The MHA notification said that the security situation in Manipur has been further reviewed in consultation with the stakeholders and it is noted that the situation continues to remain volatile amidst ongoing ethnic violence in the state.

The police station areas where the AFSPA has been reimposed are Sekmai and Lamsang in Imphal West, Lamlai in Imphal East, Jiribam in Jiribam district, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi, and Moirang in Bishnupur district.

The Manipur government, soon after the reimposition of AFSPA in six police station areas, urged the MHA to withdraw the declaration of the special law.

Joint Secretary, Home, Mayengbam Veto Singh in a letter to Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan said that the state cabinet in its meeting has deliberated on the AFSPA issue and has decided to recommend to the Central government to review and withdraw the declaration of areas falling under the jurisdiction of six police stations in the state as ‘disturbed area’ under this act.

“It is accordingly requested to kindly review and withdraw the November 14 notification in the public interest,” said the letter.

The opposition Congress and many Meitei organisations opposed the move.

State Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh, in a post on X, said: "The re-imposition of AFSPA in different areas under six police stations of Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Jiribam and Kangpokpi Districts by double-engine governments of BJP in Manipur is a clear symptom of the complete failure of their own double-engine governments in handling the ongoing 18 months turmoil in the state.”

The Manipur government in October extended the promulgation of the AFSPA in the entire state, except in the jurisdiction of 19 police stations in seven districts of the Imphal Valley, for another six months with effect from October 1.

These six police stations were out of the purview of the AFSPA in the Manipur government order.