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Manipur : Ibobi placates Apunba Lup

	June 19, 2006

The hint of a fresh upheaval in Manipur over remarks attributed to Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee has sent the Okram Ibobi Singh government scurrying to clarify that New Delhi had not rejected the Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy

Commision’s report on the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

The Apunba Lup, a conglomerate of organisations campaigning against the Armed Forces Act since 2004, had reacted with characteristic indignation to a television report which quoted the Defence Minister as saying that it was not possible for the armed forces to function without the legislation. “Their concerns need to be looked at,” he reportedly said.



The Chief Minister, who holds the Home portfolio, went into a huddle with his colleagues to discuss media reports on the issue and the Apunba Lup’s threat to start another agitation. The meeting decided to issue a clarification to calm down those demanding the repeal of the Act. Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh described the television report that triggered the furore as baseless

and unfounded. The brief statement also said the state government enquired about the “present status of the recommendations of the Reddy Commission”

and was assured by New Delhi that the report had not been rejected.

The Reddy Commission had been set up in the wake of a mass uprising in Manipur, triggered by

the alleged rape and death of a village girl, Thangjam

Manorama, in Assam Rifles’ custody. The

commission reportedly suggested that the Act, which

gives extraordinary powers to security forces

engaged in counter-insurgency operations, should

be done away with and some of its provisions

incorporated into the Unlawful Activities

(Prevention) Act.

The Army has, however, been mounting

pressure on New Delhi to retain the legislation.

Eastern Command chief Lt Gen. Arvind Sharma said

during one of his recent visits to Manipur that the

army wanted the state administration to re-impose

the Armed Forces Act in the seven Assembly

constituencies under the twin districts of Imphal

East and West.

The legislation is at present not in force within

Imphal municipal limits.

Lt Gen. Sharma claimed that militant activity

had increased in the areas from where the Armed

Forces Act was withdrawn nearly two years ago.

On Monday, the Apunba Lup said the

constitution of a commission to review the Armed

Forces Act appeared to be a mere ploy to hoodwink

the people of Manipur.



“The rejection of the suggestion to scrap the

Army Act and also the attempt to enforce the

draconian legislation further in the Northeast has

demonstrated that leaders in Delhi are treating the

region as a colony and not as states of the country,”

it said.