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Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, April 1 (EMN): The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is no longer in force in as many as three districts and some select areas in four districts of Nagaland starting on Friday after the Centre decided to reduce the “disturbed areas” in the Northeast, but there is no respite for the remaining nine districts of the state.
The government of India on Thursday decided to reduce the “disturbed areas” under the AFSPA in the north-eastern states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.
Providing more details about the areas that still fall under the purview of AFSPA, the Union Home Ministry updated that the 'disturbed area' notification will remain in force in 57 police stations across 13 districts, out of the total 72 police stations in 16 districts in Nagaland. This means the AFSPA has been removed from only 15 police stations in seven districts of the state.
It informed in a late update on Thursday that nine Nagaland districts -- Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Zunheboto -- were declared as 'disturbed area' under the AFSPA for six months with effect from April 1.
However, the controversial law has been lifted in three districts -- Tuensang, Shamator and Tseminyu – while it is partially repealed in Kohima, Wokha, Longleng and Mokokchung.
The areas in the four partially lifted districts that are still under 'disturbed area' tag (for six months with effect from April 1) include: areas falling within the jurisdiction of police stations of Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha in Kohima district; Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki 'C' in Mokokchung district; Yanglok in Longleng district; and Bhandari, Champang, Ralan and Sungro in Wokha district.
It may be mentioned that the Centre announced removal of AFSPA three months after it constituted a high-level committee to examine the possibility of lifting the controversial law in Nagaland following the killing of 14 civilians in Mon district by the Indian security forces in a case of "mistaken identity".
The tragic incident that took place in December last year triggered a public outcry from the state and beyond to revoke the law, which subsequently led to the formation of a Centre-level committee to review the imposition of the Act.