Rally organised in Manipur against AFSPA, civilian killings

Protest rally in Imphal against AFSPA and civilian killings, demanding repeal of the controversial law.

GUWAHATI

Hundreds of people, mostly women and students, on Tuesday (December 10, 2024) took out a rally in Manipur’s capital Imphal against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and civilian killings by alleged terrorists.

The protest rally, coinciding with International Human Rights Day, was organised a day after the State government lifted the ban on mobile Internet services across the Imphal Valley and Jiribam region bordering Assam. Internet services were suspended on November 16 after the recovery of the bodies of six women and children allegedly abducted by armed assailants triggered a fresh wave of violence.

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Five organisations — the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation, Poirei Leimarol Apunba Meira Paibi, All Manipur Women’s Voluntary Association, Committee on Human Rights, and the Manipur Students’ Federation — organised the five-kilometre rally from Thau Ground to Kuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal.

Security was tightened for the rally to offset any untoward incident. Inmates of relief camps were among the participants.

The protestors held placards with messages reading ‘Repeal AFSPA’, ‘Do not obliterate Manipur’, ‘Save Manipur’, among others. They told journalists they would continue protesting until the AFSPA, said to give the armed forces the licence to kill in the name of counter-insurgency operations, was repealed.