Indian Army to help Nagaland maintain conducive situation

KOHIMA: Lieutenant General RP Kalita, GOC-in-C Eastern Command, on Wednesday met Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and assured full support of security forces in maintaining a conducive security environment in the region.

Defence spokesman Lt Col Sumit Kumar Sharma said that Lt Gen Kalita interacted with the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary J Alam, and discussed the security scenario and issues pertaining to the state of Nagaland.

Kalita also visited the Headquarters IGAR (North) of Spear Corps in Kohima where he was briefed by senior officers on the operational and administrative preparedness as well as the security situation prevailing in Nagaland.

The officer commended the efforts of IGAR (North) in maintaining a high level of professionalism and appreciated their untiring endeavour towards assisting the local populace and civil administration, especially during pandemic times.

Almost all the political parties and Naga organizations, besides the Nagaland government, have been demanding to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 (AFSPA).

The demand to repeal AFSPA got intensified during the several week-long agitations after the killing of 14 people by the security forces in December last year in Mon district.

The Nagaland government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) while a court of inquiry has been instituted by the Army to probe the incident, but the outcome of the inquiry is yet to be made public. (IANS)

AFSPA in Nagaland

AFSPA has been extended every six months for several years in Nagaland, which has long remained a "disturbed area". Declaring a place "disturbed area" is the first requirement for imposing AFSPA, a law that has roots in the colonial era and which was used to crush protests.

The Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act, or AFSPA, gives immense powers to the military to operate freely anywhere that has been declared a "disturbed area"; no military personnel in an area where AFSPA is in force can be prosecuted without the centre's sanction.

On December 20, the Nagaland assembly unanimously resolved to demand a repeal of AFSPA from the northeast, especially in the state of Nagaland, however, it was extended again in the same month.

Meanwhile, a five-member committee has been formed under top bureaucrat Vivek Joshi to examine the possibility of withdrawal of AFSPA from Nagaland.

Also Read:  Nagaland will press anew for AFSPA repeal: CM Neiphiu Rio

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