Kuki MLAs Demand Extension of AFSPA Across Manipur to Recover Looted Weapons Amid Ongoing Ethnic Tensions

Guwahati: In a significant political development, ten Kuki Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in Manipur have called for the extension of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) throughout the entire state. This demand comes in the wake of ethnic violence and concerns over the recovery of over 6,000 sophisticated weapons looted by the Meitei community during the ongoing conflict.The call for extending AFSPA follows the Centre’s decision to reimpose the Act in six police station areas of Manipur, including the violence-affected Jiribam, on November 14. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs justified this move, citing the continuing volatile situation resulting from the ethnic strife that has plagued the region since May 2023.In a joint statement, the 10 Kuki MLAs emphasized that AFSPA should be enforced in all 13 remaining police jurisdictions, urging that such a step is necessary to retrieve the large cache of looted weapons and restore order. The legislators argued that this action was overdue to effectively contain the violence and its repercussions.The ethnic violence in Manipur, triggered by a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ on May 3, 2023, in response to the Meitei community’s push for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, has resulted in over 220 fatalities. The Kuki lawmakers, including members of the ruling BJP and JD(U), also called for a broader political dialogue to bring lasting peace to the region.Additionally, the Kuki MLAs criticized a recent resolution passed by the BJP-led ruling alliance in the Manipur Assembly. This resolution, which calls for military action against Kuki militants responsible for the deaths of women and children in Jiribam, was described by the Kuki legislators as divisive and communal in nature. They also opposed the suggestion to transfer cases related to civilian deaths to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), asserting that all incidents of civilian killings since May 2023, both in the valley and hills, should be handled by the NIA.The Kuki MLAs concluded their statement by urging the central and state governments to take comprehensive steps to restore peace and bring about a political resolution to the ongoing crisis in the state.