New Delhi: Under the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, the whole state of Nagaland has been declared as a ‘disturbed area’ for six more months until December-end, empowering security forces to organize any operation anywhere and arrest anyone without a warrant.
According to a notification issued on Wednesday by the Union Home Ministry, the government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces to assist the civil power is necessary.
‘Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No. 28 of 1958), the central government, hereby, declares that whole of the state of Nagaland to be ‘disturbed area’ for a period of six months with effect from 30th June 2021 for the purpose of the said Act,’ read the notification by Additional Secretary in the Home Ministry Piyush Goyal.
Official sources said that the decision was made because extortion cases, loots, and killings have been occurring in various parts of the state, necessitating the action for the convenience of security forces operating there.
Nagaland has been governed by the AFSPA for decades.
Although a framework deal was signed between Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and Interlocutor R N Ravi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 3, 2015, it was not withdrawn.
Over 80 rounds of negotiations took place in 18 years, with the first breakthrough occurring in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was signed after decades of insurgency in Nagaland.
Nevertheless, there has been no progress in the peace talks as the NSCN-IM has sought a separate flag and constitution for Nagaland, which was rejected by the Central government.
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