Govt Extends AFSPA In Assam & Arunachal Pradesh By 3 Months

1. Various parts of Assam have been under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) since 1990.
2. On 4 May 2017, the centre declared the entire state as a “disturbed area” and extended the imposition of AFSPA by three months.
3. The centre also declared three districts of Arunachal Pradesh as “disturbed areas” under the AFSPA for three more months.
4. The centre did this under the authority of Section 3 of AFSPA.

The gazette notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs declaring the entire state of Assam a “disturbed area” can be read in its entirety here. The same for the three Arunachal districts can be read here.

Assam

“Now, therefore, the entire State of Assam and the 20 kms belt in the State of Meghalaya bordering Assam shall continue to be ‘disturbed area’ under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 up to three months beyond 03.05.2017, unless withdrawn earlier.”

According to the government’s notification:

• The security situation in Assam continues to remain volatile due to the belligerence of groups like ULFA, NDFB, KLO, and KPLT.
• During 2016, 33 people including 4 security personnel were killed in Assam.
• In 2017, 4 people including 2 security personnel have been killed in the state in 9 incidents of violence in Assam.
• Several armed modules of ULFA(I), either individually or jointly with NSCN(K) and CorCom, are active in several locations in Assam, particularly bordering areas of Udalguri-Darrang, Sonitpur-Lakhimpur, besides Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary in Longding, Tirap and Changlang districts; (v)
• NDFB(S) has intensified its extortion activities in areas of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Udalguri and Sonitpur districts. During 2016, the outfit was involved in 19 incidents of violence resulting in the death of 16 persons.
• The inter-State boundaries of Assam with Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Meghalaya continue to be used as hideouts and corridors for movement by UG cadres of all hues.

Arunachal Pradesh

“Now, therefore, Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of the following police stations/police out post in the districts of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the State of Assam, are declared as ‘disturbed area’ under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for three months w.e.f. 4.05.2017, unless withdrawn earlier.”

Three Arunachal districts:

1. Tirap,
2. Changlang, and
3. Longding,

And the area falling within the jurisdiction of sixteen police stations/police outposts in the districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam have been declared “disturbed areas”.

The AFSPA has been under force in these three Arunachal Pradesh districts since January 2016.

According to the government’s notification:

• The security scenario in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts remains vitiated by the spillover of Naga insurgency.
• Naga UG factions continue to indulge in extortion, area domination, recruitment of locals, inter-factional rivalry.
• During the period from 6.09.2016 to 20.2.2017 in Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts, 25 incidents of violence have been perpetrated by the outfits in which 6 people have been killed and 28 extremist cadres have been arrested.