Historic, big step for peace: Northeast CMs

“In view of consistent success on the law and order front, the Government has decided to withdraw AFSPA,” he said, adding that concerns over law and order in Assam and the Northeast is a “matter of the past”. “Now Northeast is ready for investment, economic development and industrialisation,” he said.

On the nine districts and one sub-division of Assam where AFSPA is still in force, Sarma said they were hoping to “take a call soon”. “The status has remained where the situation is yet to improve to the satisfaction of the Government…it is still in the transition stage. We hope that we will be able to take a call sooner than later,” he said, adding that the government had taken steps “cautiously but decisively”.

In Nagaland, in the wake of the killing of six civilians in Mon district by security forces, the “Disturbed Area” notification is being withdrawn from 15 police stations in seven districts from April 1. Mon district will remain a “Disturbed Area” under the Act.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio tweeted: “This is a significant development towards bringing stability, security & prosperity to the North East region.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton said the state was “grateful” for the move, as it had been a longstanding demand. “We have been asking for this for 30-40 years…after the incident in Mon district last year, the opposition from the public became even stronger,” he said.

He added that the removal of the Disturbed Area status from Mon district was still “under observation.” “We have to observe it for some time. The main issue is that the district borders Myanmar…and some militant groups have a strong presence there,” Patton said.
In Manipur, where civil society organisations and activists have long fought for the law’s repeal, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the move was “expected”.

Unlike political parties such as the Congress and Conrad Sangma’s NPP, the BJP did not have the repeal of AFSPA as a part of its manifesto. Instead, the BJP attacked the Congress on increased violence from insurgent groups, as well as alleged extra-judicial killings, which had taken place by security forces and the police.

“There were two reasons for this. First of all, because we expected this to happen, and secondly we wanted our manifesto to reflect new projects. Whereas scrutinising the need for AFSPA has been a continuous process,” Biren said.

Fresh from his recent victory in the Assembly polls, Biren said the Prime Minister had met the “aspirations of the Northeast and the Manipuri people in particular”.

“This has been a long-standing demand and desire of the people of the state. The Prime Minister has created trust and confidence among the people of Manipur. And this could only happen because of the personal interest that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken on the issue, keeping in touch with us constantly,” he said.

Ahead of the 2012 elections, and his third term as Chief Minister, Congress’s Okram Ibobi Singh had opposed the repeal of AFSPA entirely from Manipur. Today, Singh remains cautious. “If the government repeals AFSPA from some areas in the valley, but none in the Hill districts, what will be the reaction of the tribal population of the state? Will there be repercussions, will the hill-valley divide widen? We will have to just wait and see,” said Singh.

Chief Ministers of other Northeast states, too, welcomed the move. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said it was an “important step in the larger interest of the people of the Northeast.” During the Mon incident in December, Sangma had demanded that “AFSPA should be repealed”.

Thanking Modi and Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb tweeted that the Northeast, “which was highly neglected in the previous govt is witnessing unprecedented development now”. He described the decision as a “big step to ensure peace in the region”.
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga thanked the Prime Minister and Home Minister, tweeting: “#NorthEastIndia is One”.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu described the move as an “honest and sincere attempt at doing something different”. Thanking Modi and Shah, he referred to the decision as “a significant step aiming to bring peace, stability & prosperity” in the NorthEast. “We all stand solidly in support of this strong decision,” he tweeted.

While AFSPA was repealed in Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya, it still remains in force in parts of Arunachal Pradesh.