Nagaland, Assam and Manipur will have fewer areas under AFSPA as peace dawns in Northeast

Keeping in view the significant improvement in the security situation in Northeast India, the government on Saturday announced a further reduction in the number of disturbed areas covered under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur from April 1, 2023.

The decision, stated the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been taken due to the effective steps taken by the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which have resulted in a significant improvement in the security situation in the Northeastern states besides an increase in the pace of the development.

Compared to 2014, there is a reduction of 76% in extremist incidents in 2022. Similarly, the deaths of security personnel and civilians have come down by 90% and 97% respectively during the given period.

In a historic move after several decades, the Indian government in April 2022 reduced disturbed areas under AFSPA in the three states of the region.

Home Minister Amit Shah has spotlighted that prioritizing the security, peace and development of the Northeast was done for the first time under the leadership of PM Modi, as a result of which, the region today is rapidly heading on the path of peace and development.

Several peace accords have been implemented in the Northeastern states in the last four years as most of the extremist groups expressed faith in the Constitution of the country and the policies of the government by laying down their arms and becoming partners in the peace and development of the Northeast.

Around 7000 insurgents have surrendered from 2014 till date. During the last four years, the Ministry of Home Affairs has also signed several historic agreements, which have resolved decade-old problems.

In August 2019, an agreement was signed with NLFT(SD) in Tripura bringing insurgents into the mainstream.

The Bodo Accord of January 2020 has resolved the five-decade-old Bodo problem of Assam.

In January 2020, a historic agreement was signed to resolve the decades-old Bru-Reang refugee crisis, under which 37,000 internally displaced people are being resettled in Tripura.

The Karbi-Anglang Agreement of September 2021 has resolved the longstanding dispute in the Karbi region of Assam.

An agreement has also been signed with the tribal group of Assam in September 2022.

“Prime Minister Modi is determined to make the entire Northeast region insurgency free. In this regard, the Central Government has been in constant dialogue with the state governments and other stakeholders. Due to improvement in the security situation by the Modi government, the disturbed area notification under AFSPA was completely withdrawn from Tripura in 2015 and Meghalaya in 2018,” states the Home Ministry.

The Disturbed Areas Notification is in force since 1990 in the whole of Assam. As a result of significant improvement in the security situation due to the untiring efforts of the Modi government, the disturbed areas under AFSPA were removed with effect from April 2022 from the entire state of Assam except for nine districts and one sub-division of another district. From April 1, it has been reduced to only eight districts.

Disturbed area declaration under AFSPA in Manipur (except Imphal Municipality area) was in operation since 2004. Taking an important step by the central government, 15 police station areas of 6 districts were taken out of the disturbed area notification from April 2022. Now, from April 2023, the disturbed area notification under AFSPA is being withdrawn from 4 other police stations. Thus, 19 police stations in 7 districts of Manipur have been removed from the disturbed area notification under AFSPA.

The Disturbed Areas Notification was applicable in the whole of Nagaland from since 1995. Following the recommendation of the committee constituted in this context to remove AFSPA in a phased manner, the disturbed area notification was withdrawn from 15 police stations of 7 districts with effect from April 2022. It is further being withdrawn from 3 other police stations with effect from April 2023. Therefore, a total of 18 police stations in 8 districts of Nagaland are being removed from the disturbed area notification under AFSPA.

“I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Modi ji for bringing this positive change in the lives of the people of Northeast and connecting the region with the hearts of the rest of India, greetings to the people of Northeast on this momentous occasion,” said Home Minister Shah.

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