*Call for Nationwide Action from **May 22 – August 18, 2011 *
*Repeal AFSPA NOW*
*New Delhi, May 17 : May 22, 1958*Armed Forces Special Powers Act, a
colonial legacy used against Mahatma Gandhi, was promulgated initially
in the Naga areas of Assam (later divided between 4 states) and later in
Mizoram, initially in parts of Manipur and later in all of Manipur. The
Ordinance after a brief discussion in the Parliament was endorsed and
got the status of Act on August 18, 1958, despite stiff resistance from
various quarters who challenged it as a martial and draconian law. Since
then it has been in force in one part or the other of the states of
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura
and Jammu and Kashmir (since 1991). Even though continuation of the
'disturbed area' status under the AFSPA in many part of the country is
illegal in view of the violation of the mandatory six monthly periodic
review directed by Supreme Court in its 1997 Judgement.
_AFSPA continues to be the most potent repressive tool of the Indian
state that empowers even a non commissioned officer of the armed forces
of union to kill on mere suspicion and provide legal immunity from
prosecution, thereby causing untold misery and agony among the peoples
of the affected regions._The imposition of AFSPA is synonymous to heavy
militarisation in these states leading to gross civil and political
rights violations including enforced disappearances, extra-judicial
execution, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, rape and other
forms of sexual violence against women, arbitrary arrest and detention.
All this together has meant severe economic, social and cultural cost
including _erosion of civil administration_, lack of access to
education, basic health care, destruction of properties and sources of
livelihood, and environmental destruction and 'normal' functioning of
democratic institutions in these areas.
The continued and selective use of AFSPA against communities who have
been demanding self-determinations rights is a cause of worry in the
context of the increasing militarization of the society in the
sub-continent especially after 9/11 and the growing communalisation of
the polity in India as a whole and suppression of people's democratic
rights in the name of national security.
This law is more draconian than its predecessor ordinance used by the
British to suppress the Quit India Movement. _In the pretext of
controlling insurgency, this Act has only intensified the insurgency in
the region and legitimised thousands of gross human rights violations
like rape, torture, murder and “disappearances” of innocent people in
the North East and J&K._The democratic movements in the North East and
J&K have consistently demanded the repeal of the Act and
demilitarisation for decades.
*Continuing with our efforts for establishing the democratic values in
the society and in solidarity with the struggles of democratic movements
of North East and J&K National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM)
c**alls upon the Government of India :*
1.
To repeal immediately :
*
The Armed Forces (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura) Special Powers Act, 1958 (as
amended in 1972), and
*
The Jammu and Kashmir Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1990
2. To refrain from inserting any part of the Acts into any other
legislation granting unbridled powers to the armed forces of the union
or the State police.
3. Immediately work out and announce a phased, time-bound
demilitarisation plan to withdraw the Army and other para military
forces from internal security duties in NE States and J&K.
_It needs to be noted that AFSPA is not only opposed by the movement
groups and the rights bodies but also by the Government’s own
commissions and committees appointed to look into the matter. _For
example, the Committee to Review the Armed Forces Special Powers Act,
headed by Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy in 2005, the Administrative Reforms
Commission headed by Dr. Veerappan Moily in 2007 and several others have
recommended damned the use of AFSPA and demanded immediate measures
towards withdrawal from civil areas. Internationally, the UN bodies
including the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and
the U N High Commissioner for Human Rights and recently the UN Special
Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders have consistently urged for its
repeal. However, all these have gone to the deaf ears of the Government.
Along with the struggles of millions of people against the
militarisation and AFSPA, the hunger fast of *Irom Sharmila Chanu*has
crossed 10 years. She has been force fed through her nose by the
Government, arrested with charges for attempt to commit suicide,
criminalised as a high security prisoner, denying her access to family,
friends, supporters and the media. It is a shame that in this land of
Gandhi, a non-violent protester has been subjected to such humiliation
for more than ten years. E_ven as she continues her struggle along with
many in the NE and J&K, we appeal to our comrades in human rights groups
and people’s movements across the country to demand for repeal of AFSPA
along with other draconian laws like UAPA, MCOCA, CSPSA and others and
resist the increasing militarization of democratic spaces._
*You can join us by organising : *
1.
Public protests, dharnas, relay hunger fasts in your area
2.
Organise public meetings and seminars on AFSPA and Irom Sharmila
demanding the repeal of AFSPA
3.
Organise performances of the solo play `Le mashale’ on Irom
Sharmila by Ojas S.V. Write to her [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>_or call 020 - 24251404
4.
Organise painting exhibitions on Irom Sharmila. The exhibition can
be downloaded from:
_http://www.e-pao.net/epGallery.asp?id=1&src=AFSPA_Related/Neogene201102
<http://www.e-pao.net/epGallery.asp?id=1&src=AFSPA_Related/Neogene201102>_
5.
Organise film screening programmes on AFSPA. Copies of the video
films are available from: email: [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>_or phone: 011-26517814
6.
Initiate public signature campaigns and send them to the Prime
Minister, the Defence Minister, the Law Minster, the Home Minister
and the National Human Rights Commission
7.
Initiate statements by well known writers, intellectuals, film
personalities, theatre people, musicians and other artists
8.
Any other form of action that you may find appropriate to
strengthen the democracy of this country
*Medha Patkar, Sandeep Pandey, P Chennaiah, Gabriele Dietrich, Suniti S
R, Sister Celia, Rajendra Ravi, Bhupendera Singh Rawat, Mukta
Srivastava, Faisal Khan, Anand mazgaonkar, Madhuresh Kumar *
/For details contact or write to /_/[email protected]/
<mailto:[email protected]>_/| 9818905316/
--
==================
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C/O 6/6 (Basement), Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110 014
Mobile +91 9818 905316 | 011 2624 1167
email : [email protected] | [email protected]
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