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A progressive step: On setting of panel for AFSPA by Nagaland

Formation of a panel to look into withdrawal of AFSPA from Nagaland is a welcome move

The announcement by the Nagaland government that a high-powered panel will be set up to look
into the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the State addresses a key concern in
the Northeast following the Mon massacre where a botched ambush by an armed forces unit led to
the deaths of 15 civilians earlier this month. As is typical of how the Union government has dealt with
issues concerning Nagaland in the recent past, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) — whose
Additional Secretary (Northeast) is to head the committee — has been tight-lipped about the
proposed panel with the information about it emanating only from the Nagaland government.
Nevertheless, the gesture to set up a panel, even if it is acknowledged only by the Nagaland
government, should help in assuaging some concerns of citizens of the State who had immediately
associated the massacre with the impunity afforded by the unpopular Act. The Indian Army has also
reiterated that it deeply regretted the loss of lives and that a probe into the incident was progressing,
even as the Nagaland government in its statement mentioned that a court of inquiry will initiate
disciplinary proceedings against the Army unit and personnel involved in the incident. The Act is in
place in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, three districts of Arunachal Pradesh, and areas falling within the
jurisdiction of eight police stations of the State bordering Assam, with the authority to use force or
open fire to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”. The Meghalaya Chief Minister has already
sought its revocation in the Northeast, while Manipur is also set to discuss the demand for its repeal.

People in the Northeast associate the series of civilian killings in the region over a number of years
with the Act being in effect. The Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee set up by the previous UPA-led
government at the Centre in 2005 had recommended the repeal of the Act calling it “highly
undesirable” and that it created an impression that civilians in the Northeast were being targeted for
hostile treatment. But the Act has remained in place because of the resolute opposition to its repeal
by the Army. The panel can take recourse to studying precedents — Tripura revoked the Act in May
2015 after noticing an improvement on the ground in the State while Meghalaya did the same on
April 1, 2018. Both States did so after the Act was in force for decades. A clear-cut understanding on
the definition and the extent of “disturbed areas” in Nagaland following discussions among the State,
the MHA and armed forces’ representatives will go a long way in working towards a rethink on the
Act’s relevance in the entire region.

 In place (phrase) – Established.

 Red/blue coloring of words in the sentence indicates subject verb relationship. Where ‘Red’
denotes Subject and ‘Blue’ denotes ‘verb’.

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Vocabulary
1. Progressive (adjective) – forward-looking, 12. Lead to (verb) – result in, cause, bring
reforming. on.

2. Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 13. Civilian (noun) – non-military person.
(AFSPA) (noun) – Armed Forces Special
Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 is an act of the
Parliament of India that grants special 14. Head (verb) – be in charge of, preside over.
powers to the Indian Armed Forces to
maintain public order in "disturbed areas’’.
15. Tight-lipped (adjective) –
3. Look into (phrasal verb) – investigate,
uncommunicative, unresponsive.
explore. /
16. Emanate (verb) – emerge, arise, originate.
4. Withdrawal (noun) – retreat, departure.

17. Nevertheless (adverb) – in spite of

5. Move (noun) – step, action, act, measure.
everything, notwithstanding. द
दम
18. Gesture (noun) – action, deed, move.
6. Set up (phrasal verb) – create, establish.
दम

19. Acknowledge (verb) – accept, admit,

7. Address (verb) – tackle, try to sort out.
allow.

20. Assuage (verb) – relieve, alleviate, soothe.

8. Concern (noun) – affair, issue, matter,
मम
21. Associate (verb) – link, connect, relate,
9. Massacre (noun) – mass murder, mass
equate.
killing.
22. Impunity (noun) – exemption from
10. Botched (adjective) – relating to an task
punishment द म ,
done or performed carelessly.
म 23. Afford (verb) – provide, grant. द

11. Ambush (noun) – surprise/sudden attack. 24. Unpopular (adjective) – unfamous,

disliked.

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25. Reiterate (verb) – repeat, say again, 38. Revocation (noun) – cancellation, repeal,
restate. द annulment.

26. Deeply (adverb) – greatly, enormously, 39. Set (to) (adjective) – Ready, prepare.
extremely.
40. Repeal (noun) – cancellation, reversal,
27. Regret (verb) – be sorry about, feel annulment.
apologetic about. द
41. In effect (phrase) – be in force. म
28. Court of inquiry (noun) – a tribunal
42. Undesirable (noun) – Unwanted,
Detrimental, disagreeable
29. Disciplinary (adjective) – enforcing
discipline. 43. Impression (noun) – notion, idea, thought,
belief, opinion, conviction
30. Proceedings (noun) – legal action.
44. Hostile (adjective) – opposed, inimical

31. Personnel (noun) – force, staff, employees.

45. In place (phrase) – established.
म
46. Resolute (adjective) – determined,
32. Act (noun) – law, decree, statute
purposeful.
म
47. Have recourse to (phrase) – resort to,
33. Jurisdiction (noun) – territory, region,
make use of
area.
48. Precedent (noun) – previous example,
34. Authority (noun) – right, power,
prior instance. द
command.
49. Revoke (verb) – repeal, reverse, abrogate.
35. Open fire (phrase) – start shooting by way
of Gun. द

36. Public order (noun) – it means the 50. Decade (noun) – a period of ten years.
situation that exists when people obey the द
laws, rules or authority of the State.
51. Clear-cut (adjective) – definite, distinct,
37. Seek (verb) – ask for, request, demand,
clear, well defined
appeal म

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52. Go a long way (phrase) –To be very useful 54. Relevance (noun) – significance,
or helpful. importance.

53. Rethink (noun) – reconsideration, review.

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