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AFSPA Extended In Manipur For Six Months Amid Unrest, 19 Areas Excluded

by news.abplive.com Leave a Comment

New Delhi: Manipur government extended Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the hill areas of the state for six months beginning October 1. However, 19 police stations of valley have been excluded, according to official notification, as reported by news agency PTI.

According to government notification, barring 19 police stations, the entire state has been declared as “disturbed area” for a period of six months.

“Governor of Manipur hereby accords approval to declare the entire state of Manipur excluding the areas falling under the jurisdiction of 19 police stations…as ‘Disturbed Area’ for a period of six months with effect from October 1, 2023,” the notification stated.

The police station areas where the AFSPA has not been imposed are Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Pastol, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingagng, Lamlai, Iribung, Leimakhong, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol, Moirang, Kakchin and Jirbam.

Effective from October 1, 2023, the entire area of #Manipur , excluding the 19 police stations, has been declared as a “Disturbed Area” for a period of six months: Govt Notification. pic.twitter.com/2Ho5WCy3UF

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 27, 2023

Recently, Manipur has been rocked by protests over the killing of two youths who were allegedly kidnapped in July. The government reimposed internet suspension for five days and announced that all schools in the state will be closed till Friday.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Central government extended AFSPA in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland for another six months starting from October 1. The move came after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reviewed the law and order situation in both the northeast states.

READ | Centre Extends ‘Disturbed Area’ Status Under AFSPA In Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland For 6 Months

In a notification, the MHA under the AFSPA declared eight districts and 21 police stations in five other districts of Nagaland as ‘disturbed area’ for a period of six months.

In a separate notification, the MHA declared Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling under the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur, and Chowkham Police stations in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh are declared as ‘disturbed area’ under AFSPA.

In Manipur, no let-up in protests over killing of Meitei students, 50 injured

by indianexpress.com Leave a Comment

Nearly 50 people, mostly students, were injured when protests erupted in several parts of Manipur’s valley districts for the second consecutive day against the murder of two Meitei students.

The state has been on edge ever since photos emerged showing the lifeless bodies of Imphal residents Hijam Linthoingami (17) and Phijam Hemjit (20) , who went missing on July 6 and whose last phone locations were traced to Churachandpur.

The state government has announced that “swift and decisive” action will be taken against the perpetrators, but that has done little to quell the anger from the Meitei community.

The protests came against the backdrop of the arrival of CBI Special Director Ajay Bhatnagar , along with five officials, in Manipur to probe into the students’ killing.

Even as the state government closed down schools on Wednesday in view of the prevailing law and order situation, agitated students came out in large numbers demanding swift justice for the brutal killings. In one of the photos, Hemjit’s head had been severed from his body.

Freedom Sale

In Imphal, students tried to march towards the CM’s bungalow and Raj Bhavan to press for their demands and security personnel resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse them.

Student representatives were eventually allowed to meet the Governor and the Chief Minister. Protest marches were also seen in Thoubal, Moirang and some other locations.

In the afternoon, an irate mob torched a BJP office in Thoubal district.

Considering the tense situation, the district administration did not relax curfew in Imphal East and Imphal West. According to government sources, there will be no curfew relaxation on Thursday either.

Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh Wednesday said that he has sought a report from the DGP on excessive action taken by the Army against student protesters. This came as several videos emerged, including one purportedly showing a student being beaten with a baton.

“I have sought a detailed report from the DGP over the viral videos and if security forces are found using excessive force against students, appropriate action will be initiated,” the Chief Minister said.

He advised security personnel to exercise maximum restraint in dealing with students and women protesters.

Pointing out that the CBI team had arrived, Singh appealed to the people to have faith in the investigation.

He also said he has talked with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the matter. “The perpetrators who committed the brutal murder will be given befitting punishment as per law of the land,” he said.

Biren added that 25 companies of CAPF and two companies of RAF have been deployed in 23 areas of Churachandpur district to maintain law and order. This is in addition to Assam Rifles and state police already present in the area, he said.

Manipur Violence: Rajkumar Kaiku resigns as primary member of BJP

by economictimes.indiatimes.com Leave a Comment

Synopsis

Manipur film actor Rajkumar Kaiku, also known as Somendra, has resigned as a primary member of the BJP party due to dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the current turmoil in Manipur and the murder of two students. Kaiku, who joined BJP in 2021, stated that his priority is the public first and party second. He criticized the central leaders for not taking action to resolve the ongoing issues in the state.

Displeased with what he termed as the government’s inapt handling of the current turmoil in Manipur as well as the inhuman murder of two young students, celebrated Manipuri film actor Rajkumar Kaiku also known as Somendra has resigned as the primary member of BJP party.

Kaiku, who has acted in over 400 films, including two Kuki movies, submitted his resignation letter to the leadership of the state unit party even as its top leaders requested him to reconsider his stance.

A resident of Thangmeiband area in Imphal West district, Kaiku contested the last Lok Sabha polls as an Independent candidate in 2019 and later joined BJP in November 2021.

Being a celebrated film personality, Kaiku garnered huge crowds for the saffron party during canvassing in the last state assembly polls held in March last year and the party grabbed absolute majority in crucial polls by grabbing 32 seats in the 60-member house.

“My priority is ‘public first and party second’ for which I applied my mind to incline with the public in these hard times,” Kaiku said.

“It is disheartening to notice that the government is yet to take up proactive measures to resolve the unceasing public disorder besetting the state for more than four months now,” said Kaiku.

Expressing his incongruity to serve the people at his own free will if he works under a political party, Kaiku said “I applied my mind to quit BJP”.

“To be honest, I joined BJP thinking that the party would bring a significant change in our state with its double-engine government. Of course, it brought changes in different sectors like tourism under Chief Minister N Biren Singh. With this in mind, I thought the central leaders would act swiftly over the ongoing issue and put an end to the conflict. But, the central leaders seem like paying no attention to the pain and misery of the people and they were against every expectation of the people,” he said.

“So, I thought we shouldn’t stay silent but voice out against this ignorance. There are rules if we work under a political party and we can’t just do things at our own will. So, I thought it would be better to leave the Party and join the movement of the people. There is also a saying that it is the public first, party second. So I thought it is better to prioritize peace and join the people’s movement,” Kaiku added.

Stating that the current turmoil has dampened the pace of development Manipur has witnessed in the last few years, Kaiku appealed to all sections of society to bring an everlasting solution to the current turmoil.

“As I have left BJP, now I am a free citizen to join the people’s campaign to restore public order,” he said while defying Kuki-Zo legislators and civil bodies ‘demand for a separate administration for their community in the state.

“I’ve so many Kuki friends in Saikul, Kangpokpi, Churchandpur, to be honest. I think they should have also realized the background of the issue and not all of them are actively taking part in the conflict. They must have also realised that it is a sinister game of a few. So I appeal to them to understand the situation and act together towards bringing back peace by stopping all kinds of hatred and demanding separate administration,” the actor said.

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Manipur violence: State government in contact with Home Ministry, says CM N Biren Singh

by economictimes.indiatimes.com Leave a Comment

Synopsis

Singh expressed strong condemnation against the brutal killing of the two students namely Phijam Hemajit and Hijam Linthoingambi, who went missing since 6th July this year, terming it as a heinous crime. He maintained that the culprit would not be spared and stringent action would be taken against them as per law.

Manipur Chief minister N Biren Singh informed the State Government is in continuous contact with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the current situation in the State.

Singh expressed strong condemnation against the brutal killing of the two students namely Phijam Hemajit and Hijam Linthoingambi, who went missing since 6th July this year, terming it as a heinous crime. He maintained that the culprit would not be spared and stringent action would be taken against them as per law.

The Chief Minister was briefing the media at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in said that the case regarding the missing of the two teenagers was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on 28th August, 2023.

The Chief Minister informed that he had talked with Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah regarding the case and added that the case is being taken seriously. He continued that Special Director, CBI Ajay Bhatnagar along with other 5 officials had landed in the State today and had started the investigation. He appealed to all the people of the State to have trust in seriousness taken by the government regarding the case.

Biren stated that the Government knew that a large number of people had turned out at roads in different places out of emotion and anger, after seeing the viral photographs of the two students. He instructed the security forces to have maximum restraint while controlling the mob and added that action would be initiated, if security personnel use excessive action against the public especially the students in controlling their agitation.

The Chief Minister sought support and cooperation of the public in handling the current crisis and restoring peace in the State.

Biren informed that 25 companies of central forces and 2 companies of Rapid Action Force had been deployed in 23 places of Churachandpur District. He continued that a process had been taken up to deploy 3 companies of central force in Behiang, maintaining that the Government is taking up steps to enforce law and order.

The Chief Minister informed the State Government is in continuous contact with the Union Home Minister regarding the current situation in the State. He maintained that the State Government has been taking all steps to restore peace under the supervision of the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister.

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Manipur strife designated ‘communal violence’ for disbursal of compensation

by economictimes.indiatimes.com Leave a Comment

Synopsis

Although the Centre had underlined in its statements that this is an ‘ethnic’ conflict and not a ‘communal’ one, procedural requirements have made it necessary to categorise it so, as this is the only nomenclature that could be found applicable.

The Centre has designated Manipur ‘s ongoing ethnic conflict as ” communal violence “, ET has learnt.

Although the Centre had underlined in its statements that this is an ‘ethnic’ conflict and not a ‘communal’ one, procedural requirements have made it necessary to categorise it so, as this is the only nomenclature that could be found applicable.

Around 64 next of kin in the state have been given compensation by the Centre as victims of ‘communal violence’, as per governmental data.

“We do not see the Manipur violence as religion-specific in nature. It is an ethnic conflict with several other dimensions to it. However, we had to categorise it as an act of ‘communal violence’ for governmental processes. Existing schemes to ensure compensation and relief to the impacted people do not cover such incidents. Therefore, processes have required us to fit it into the communal violence category so that timely compensation can be given to the violence-affected persons or their next of kin,” an official in the know told ET.

It is learnt that the Centre and state have invoked the 2022 ‘central scheme for assistance to civilian victims/family of victims of terrorist/communal/left-wing extremist violence, cross border firing and mine/IED blast on Indian territory for extending compensation to those impacted by the violence in the state’.

As per these revised 2022 guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs , ‘communal violence’ refers to ‘planned and organised acts of violence by members of a community against members of another community to create or express ill-will or hatred and leading to loss of life or injuries to people’.

Over 142 people have been recorded as dead due to violence in Manipur, as per a state government report to the Supreme Court in August. Compensation of ₹5 lakh each has been given by the Centre to the next of kin of 64 deceased persons so far under the scheme, as per government data of September 1. The state has added another ₹5 lakh each.

There were 20 cases of deaths due to communal violence recorded and compensated in Imphal East, 10 in Imphal West, 17 in Churachandpur, three in Toubal and 13 in Bishnupur. As per the process, the office of the sub-divisional officer conducts a detailed probe to identify the next of kin of the deceased. The government has made extra security arrangements in addition to nearly 135 companies of central armed police forces/Army deployed at various volatile locations as on September 1.

There is special focus on 340 relief camps that currently shelter over 58,000 people. Nearly 24,000 of those in the camps are said to be Meiteis while nearly 35,000 are Kukis.

Two policemen have been deployed at each of the 56 camps in Kangpokpi district that lodge over 16,100 people.

Churachandpur, with 15,266 people across 103 relief camps, is being patrolled by the district police and officer in-charges of women police station. One lady cop is also deployed for a cluster of camps to prevent child trafficking and exploitation of women/children in any form. An additional SP rank officer, a lady, is supervising security in the camps.

In Bishnupur, with over 8,600 people in 49 camps, two cops each are deployed for 13 remote relief camps while Manipur commandos patrol the rest for coordination with civil society members. An additional SP has been given overall charge to ensure security of camps.

In Imphal East, eight officers in-charges have been assigned the duty for regular patrolling and security in 29 relief camps while Manipur commandos are patrolling Imphal East camps. Similar security deployment is in place in Thoubal’s 3-4 relief camps, with 25 check points to restrict miscreants’ movement. Jiribam’s five relief camps have eight police in-charges, as does Kakching, Ukhrul, Tengnoupal, Senapati and Noney districts.

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