AFSPA tenure extended by another year in Assam

Even as the two-day conclave of the director of generals of police of northeastern states held in Guwahati has raised the alarm over the attempts by Maoist elements to strike roots in the region, especially in Assam and Manipur, the government of India has once again extended the enforcement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in Assam by another one year notwithstanding the marked improvement of security scenario in the state of late.

According to an official source, the AFSPA whose continued enforcement in northeast has been a raging controversy especially in Manipur, was imposed in Assam for the first time in 1990 and since then it has been in force in the state through yearly extension.

The extension of the AFSPA enforcement means Assam will stand declared as a disturbed area for another year. Sources said that the Ministry of Home Affairs sought the views of the Assam government, Defence Ministry and the Intelligence Bureau on the issue of extension of the term of the AFSPA in Assam.

The level of violence in Assam has come down by at least 50 per cent this year after a number of militant outfits, including a faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom, a faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, several tribal and Adivasi militant groups coming forward for peace parleys with the Centre by giving up arms.

Assam government has been apprehensive of late on reports about Maoists trying to strike roots in the state while the anti-talks faction of the ULFA led by Paresh Barua striving to establish coordination with Meitei insurgent groups -- PLA, PRE-PAK, UNLF and KYKL from Manipur.

Meanwhile, the two-day meeting of DGPs of the northeastern states which concluded in Guwahati on Tuesday laid stress on better coordination among state police forces in the region to tackle looming threat from Maoists as well as to rein in insurgent groups.

Assam DGP Shankar Barua informed that the conclave hammered out some resolutions covering all security issues concerning the northeastern states and the same would be forwarded to the Central government.