SHILLONG:
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has welcomed the Centre’s decision to reduce the number of disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in three Northeastern states – Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.
“This has been a long pending issue for the people of northeast region and this move will surely leave a positive message for the people of the region,” Sangma said.
Sangma said that the people of the region have always been stressing that AFSPA is an Act that has gone beyond its stipulated time in the region and it has not been achieving the objective that it was meant to.
Sangma said that given the current circumstances in the region, the Act should be repealed completely, adding that this step taken by the centre is a confidence-building measure among the people.
Notably, the Centre on March 31 removed AFSPA from 23 districts of Assam, 7 districts of Nagaland, and 6 districts of Manipur.