Page 12 - Afspa News Today

Refusing sanction to prosecute accused army personnel turns the spotlight once again on the AFSPA.

A member of the army, even if serving in a region where AFSPA is enforced, has to follow the law. The law says that unprovoked, the security cannot shoot to kill or injure any person, civilian or militant – which is what happened in Oting in December 2021.

An FIR filed by the Nagaland Police had said that the Army’s 21 Para Special Force “blankly opened fire” with the “intention to murder and injure civilians”.

A botched anti-insurgency operation resulted in the killing of 13 civilians in Nagaland's Oting in December 2021. The state police's SIT concluded that the victims were shot “with a clear intention to kill”.

Any legal action taken against security personnel must first have approval from the Ministry of Defence under AFSPA.

CSHCR has heartily thanked the government of Belgium, Norway, and Pakistan for recommending to repeal, review and withdraw the draconian AFSPA. This is a long standing demand of the people of Manipur and many key Governments.

AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), like many other controversial laws, is of colonial origin.

On the one hand, the women of the region have built powerful people's movements and successful entrepreneurial ventures. However, on the other hand, they also face the worst form of patriarchy impeding their empowerment.

 

In exercise of powers conferred under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 and in suppression of earlier notification issued on October 15, 2022