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| Troops to stay put in Jammu & Kashmir | | Armed Forces Special Powers Act too to continue | |
BL KAK
NEW DELHI, JUNE 16: The government of India does not want to implement in the troubled areas of the country a suggestion or demand which is based on, or influenced by, "negative" politics and philosophy. And the troubled region of Jammu and Kashmir "just does not call for any reduction or withdrawal of troops", according to a senior Ministerial source.
The prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Ministerial source pointed out, "may not appear to be alarming". "But the fact remains that, in view of continuing terrorist activity and infiltration from across the border, the local police of J&K are not fully prepared and equipped to meet the challenge", he said.
"Hence, the demand for reduction or withdrawal of troops in the troubled State of Jammu and Kashmir does not merit any serious consideration at this juncture", the Ministerial source said. He also made it clear that Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) will continue to be in force in Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern region, even after the government modifies some clauses in the Act.
The Armed Forces Special Powers Act provides sufficient powers to the troops to stamp out militancy in insurgency-hit northeastern States. The Act is also in force in the troubled State of Jammu and Kashmir. No wonder, after the Prime Minister's none-too-old warning that his government would curtail powers accorded to Indian Army to curb militancy and insurgency, a section of separatists in Kashmir renewed the demand for "immediate" withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in J&K.
And the Prime Minister has already placed himself on record as saying: “We need to consider some amendments to the act by modifying its existing provisions or considering new provisions. It would be made more humane, giving due regard to the protection of basic human and civil rights".
Why are the Kashmiris, particularly separatist groups, and majority of people living in the northeastern region dead set against he continuance of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act? Answer to this question is not far to seek. The legislation gives the military the powers to “shoot or arrest without warrant” in four of the seven northeastern States, including Manipur, according to provisions of the 1958 law.
A government committee set up to review the Act has given its verdict. The Intelligence Bureau (IB), significantly, had, before the setting up of the committee to review the Act, called for a decisive move by the government to soften some provisions in the Act. This apart, the all-important offical, MK Narayanan, who is currently the National Security Advisor, too had proposed softening of some clauses in the Act.
At a time when the Manmohan Singh government has ensured that the high prestige of the Armed Forces remained intact by offering robust appreciation of their role in containing militancy, the Union Home Ministry has begun working on the requied amendments to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
Women in Manipur are at the forefront of a spirited drive against the Act since 2004, alleging its vast powers are used by the military to rape or kill at will in the State where various groups are fighting for separate homelands. More than 50,000 people have died in various separatist drives in the northeastern States called the “Seven Sisters”.
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