Imphal, June 15: Taking an equivocal stand on imposition of Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958 in Manipur, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh today said that his Government has no intention of prolonging its enforcement even for a second, but has to act otherwise in view of the prevailing fluid law and order situation.

Addressing the House during the discussion on the Governor�s address after the Opposition members had walked out, Chief Minister who is also in charge of Home said that the Government is fully aware of the complaint and grievances of the people against atrocities and excesses being committed by the security personnel under the immunity granted by the Armed Forces Special Power Act, but said it could not simply scrap the Act from security point of view.

�We cannot assume that the life of the people are safe now.

Inspite of deployment of a large number of security forces, underground threat to Government officials and extortion are still being carried out�, Chief Minister said, by way of justifying enforcement of the Act.

The CM, however hastened to add that it does not meant that the security forces and especially those deputed from outside Manipur have been given the license to kill people and spread reign of terror among the people.

During his recent visit to New Delhi, Ibobi informed that the alleged blatant violation of the Act by the security forces while carrying out counter insurgency operation and complaint of killing of innocent persons fake encounters after they have been picked up from their houses have been brought to the notice of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

As the public outcry could not be simply ruled out, pressures have also be given to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister for stopping security forces from killing, be it innocent persons or insurgents, Ibobi said, adding that his Government would continue to do so.

Referring to the case of Irom Chanu Sharmila who has been fasting for the last three years demanding removal of Armed Forces Special Power Act, Ibobi mentioned that he had even put up the proposal to the then Home Minister LK Advani while NDA Government was in power at the Centre for removing Disturbed Area Status from certain parts of the State in a phase-wise manner so that Armed Forces Special Power Act could be scrapped out completely subsequently.

During the meeting Advani had given assurance for pulling Central para military forces from the State as and when the State Government takes a decision for scrapping the Act.

But gunning down of an Engineer just as the work for construction of Loktak Downstream project commenced put the matter to a halt.

Justifying the decision of the State Cabinet for extension of Disturbed Area Status in the whole of Manipur, Ibobi asserted that the matter was finalized after taking into account the reports of the CID, Vigilance and other intelligences sources.

Stating that the cadres of both NSCN (I-M) and NSCN (K) continued to carry out subversive activities on the soil of Manipur in violation of the cease fire ground rules agreed with the Government of India, Chief Minister also informed that the matter had also been brought to the notice of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, besides pressurizing them to put a rein on the activities of the two outfits.

Noting that NSCN (I-M) had also had also demanded removal of Armed Forces Special before it come to an agreement with the Indian Government, Ibobi said that the Centre had turned down the demand contending its was a decision to be taken up by the State Government concerned.

But Nagaland Government despite knowing the fact that the outfit has agreed to hold peace talks with the Centre, did not take up nay measures for removal of the Act.

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