Manipur CM calls for review of AFSPA

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said time had come to review the the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

Singh told a group of visiting journalists here Wednesday that while reviewing the AFSPA, the security concerns of the state sharing borders with foreign countries should also be considered.

"Time has come to review the AFSPA, but since we share our border with foreign countries, the security aspect has to be considered," he said.

"Manipur is a peaceful state now, but the country's security must be a priority...financial help and arms supply by foreign countries cannot be ruled out," Singh said.

Major General V K Mishra, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 57 Mountain Division of the Army, which spearheads counter-insurgency operations in Manipur, said the AFSPA was a prerequisite for the Army to maintain peace in the militancy-affected state.

Citing seizures of sophisticated arms from camps of insurgents, he said "If we do not have AFSPA, how do we do this... It is not just an enabler, it is a prerequisite. The AFSPA is a requirement for the Army to function."