Lifting of AFSPA from some areas not satisfactory: Irom Sharmila

Chief Minister Biren thanks PM, other BJP leaders, says demand for full withdrawal will continue

Irom Sharmila, who fasted for about 16 years to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958, has said that the withdrawal of the Act in a selective manner from some northeastern States is “not satisfactory”. She was speaking to the local Tom TV channel. The Union government has lifted the AFSPA from areas under nine police stations in Manipur.

Meanwhile, Renu Takhellambam, family member of a victim of an alleged fake encounter, and Babloo Loitongbam, executive director of advocacy group Human Rights Alert, said that the government should sanction the prosecution of armed personnel said to be involved in most of the alleged 1,528 fake encounter killings. The cases have been dragging on in several courts and in the Supreme Court. Ms. Takhellambam and Mr. Loitongbam said that almost all the cases have been documented. They also recalled that the Supreme Court has examined six cases of alleged fake encounter cases. One victim was a 12-year-old student in from Thoubal district. An enraged SC judge was reported to have commented, “How can a 12-year-old boy be a terrorist?”

Ms. Sharmila, who has since married and lives in Bengaluru with her husband and the twin daughters, said on Friday that when the Congress government lifted the AFSPA from six Assembly segments in 2004, other activists had not found the gesture “satisfactory”. The latest lifting of the Act was an attempt to deceive people since it has been revoked in some areas only, she said.

Ms. Sharmila contested an Assembly seat in Thoubal district in 2017 but lost to veteran politician Okram Ibobi. After the stunning defeat, she vanished from public life. She has not returned to Manipur since her marriage.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren said that the people of the northeast thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and all other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for lifting the AFSPA. In view of the law and order situation in some pockets, complete withdrawal of the AFSPA could not be done now, he said, adding, “However, the Manipur Government shall continue to demand the withdrawal of the Act from the entire State.”