Source: The Sangai Express / PTI
Shillong, January 30 2010:
Meghalaya Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary today reiterated that the continuation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur has become irrelevant in the present context even as he unequivocally called for involvement of the civil society in tackling insurgency.
"This Act has alienated the civil society more and more with the passage of time and has been in use for long and has lost its relevance in view of the emerging role of the civil society in violence prone areas," he said addressing the closing function of the 12th North-East Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) Conference here.
"We cannot contain insurgency related violence by alienating the citizens.
We can do so more effectively by involving them.
The police, which represents the civil society, needs to be strengthened and reliance on the armed forces reduced for greater cooperation with the citizens in fighting insurgency," the former chief of the elite National security Guards (NSG) and the Border Security Force (BSF) maintained.
Observing that Meghalaya and Mizoram which had their share of insurgency and terrorism are now peaceful while Tripura is also free from insurgency related violence and so is Nagaland, Mooshahary said Assam, the "mother state" of the North East is "fast becoming normal" but for the violence prone Bodo Territorial Council Area.
Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim never had insurgency and violence, he noted.
"Only Manipur continues to be a difficult state with violence remaining unabated," the Governor pointed out.
"I do not, however, subscribe to the view that we need to continue fighting insurgency and terrorism with the help of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act," he stated.
Meanwhile, welcoming the governor's rejection of the AFSPA, former Manipur chief minister Radhabinod Koijam termed it as a "draconian law".
Asking as to why the Act was applied only in Manipur and J&K and not in the Naxalite-affected states of the country, Koijam, who is now leader of opposition in the Manipur Assembly said, "this Act has divided India.
This attitude of the Government of India of not treating us at par with other states which are also afflicted with violence has alienated the people" .