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Journalism of Courage
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma Monday demanded the repeal of The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). In a tweet, Sangma wrote, “AFSPA should be repealed.”
Sangma is the president of the National People’s Party, which is a part of the NDA.
Sangma’s remarks come a day after a security operation in Nagaland resulted in the death of 14 civilians and one security officer.
On Saturday, the security officers in a case of “mistaken identity” opened fire at a pick-up van, killing six civilians in Nagaland’s Mon district. In the operation and the clashes that ensued with the security forces later, 13 civilians were killed on Saturday. On Sunday, authorities said that a large crowd of angry villagers gathered in Mon town and marched to the Assam Rifles camp, engaging in vandalism. The security forces opened fire, leading to the death of one more civilian.
On Sunday, Sangma said that he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives in Oting village. “My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured and peace to be restored,” Sangma wrote on Twitter.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is effective in the whole of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur (excluding seven assembly constituencies of Imphal) and parts of Arunachal Pradesh. It was withdrawn from Meghalaya in 2018.
The AFSPA gives power to the army and central forces deployed in “disturbed areas” to kill anyone acting in contravention of law, arrest and search any premises without a warrant and provide cover to forces from prosecution and legal suits without the Centre’s sanction. It was withdrawan from Meghalaya in 2018
