MP Meinya raises AFSPA issue in Parliament
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 21 2015 :
Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Thokchom Meinya has once again raised the issue of repealing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in Parliament.
The MP said that the AFSPA is "redundant, infamous, inhumane and most importantly terrifying" to all the people in the troubled torn Northeast and Jammu & Kashmir.
He informed the house that the latest causality is the Arunachal Pradesh.
Out of 19 districts, 12 districts, which cover almost two-third territory of the State have been declared disturbed under this "infamous and notorious" Act, said Meinya informing that even the Arunachal Pradesh Government had been objecting to the declaration.
"The constitutionality of this Act has been questioned time and again by the United Nations.
Violence and insurgent activities are the two fundamental premises which determine whether a particular area should be categorized as disturbed or not", said Meinya.
He said Manipur which has a record of prolonged imposition of this Act have suffered a lot and pointed out that many people have been killed in "alleged fake encounters" under the cover of the AFSPA.
Several cases of forced disappearances and huge violation of human rights against women and children have come to notice because of this infamous Act, said the MP.
Demanding immediate repeal of the Act, Meinya also pointed out that a number of committees and commissions have recommended repealing of AFSPA.
"Over and above this, as many as 169 countries across the world have recommended repealing of this Act.
Enough is enough.
Is it a deficit in democracy? I once again urge upon the Union Government to immediately consider repealing of this inhumane Act", said Meinya.