While expressing gratitude to the authorities concerned on reducing the disturbed area under 15 police stations in six valley districts of Manipur, the People’s Progressive Council (PPC) Manipur West district has appealed to the authorities concerned to remove the ‘draconian Act’-Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts, 1958 (AFSPA 1958) from the whole hill districts of Manipur.
The PPC stated in a release that it is very grateful to all concerned for initiating the move in Parliament to remove this draconian law from the six districts of Manipur valley under 15 police stations. The withdrawal of AFSPA was, in fact, the recognition of peoples' long drawn movement to fulfil people’s sentiment and aspiration of Manipur, it stated.
The PPC also stated that the announcement of withdrawal of AFSPA was made in many parts of three different states of North East India, including Assam, Manipur and Nagaland, in line with the historic decision of the Indian Parliament on March 31, 2022 by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
It called for removal of AFSPA from the whole of Manipur hills districts in the interest of peace and justice for all.
The PPC appealed to all Human Rights defenders, Human Rights activists, Meira Paibis and all Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to continue the movement to remove AFSPA from the whole of Manipur and North East India.
It is a well-known fact that under the shadow of AFSPA in all parts of Manipur since 1980, corruption in high profile level has become the mainstay in the society. The Act even threatened basic human rights from different angles due to the wide gap between the common people and the few elites. In view of this situation, PPC appeals to all insurgency groups to come forward for political negotiation to bring lasting peace and development in the northeastern region in general and Manipur in particular.
