December 02, 2006

The North-Eastern region of India comprises several ethnic groups with diverse socio-cultural settings. Since independence, the region is perpetually placed under military rule with the draconian law called Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 [as amended in 1972]. That the intervention by the armed forces is a long-standing and real fact is fairly well known. Today, the state is treating the region’s political struggle and social movements as anti-state, anti-national, disruptive and (…)

There is a growing demand for the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) because of public anguish over its misuse by the Army in the “disturbed” States of the North-East and Kashmir. However, the fundamental issue concerns deployment of the Army “in aid of civil power” to control a situation arising from governance failure over decades in those States.
Role of the Army
The Army is trained and equipped for its primary role of defence of national boundaries (…)