Nepal extends solidarity to struggle against AFSPA
Kathmandu , 18 April 2016
The Nepalese Law Students’ Association (NELSA) and the Institute of Human Rights and Democracy
– Nepal (IHRDN) organized a panel discussion on Deceit of Democracy: Irom Sharmila’s 16 years of
hunger strike against Armed Forces Special Powers Act, at Nepal Law Campus, Bhrikutimandap on
18 April 2016. More than a hundred law student and faculty members attended the function.
Bishal Nyoupane, President of the NELSA welcomed the participants. Gwangju laureate Sushil
Pyakurel, the official human rights advisor to the President of Nepal, introduced the subject by
recalling his personal meeting with Irom Sharmila during his solidarity visit to Manipur in 2014.
Babloo Loitongbam, director of Human Rights Alert presented the struggle for the right to life of the
people of Manipur. A video film Claiming Justice: Women confronting impunity in India’s North East
was also screened.
Eminent human rights activist Subodh Pyakurel, former chairperson of FORUM ASIA explained the
emerging geo-politic trends of South Asia. According to him India has become a region hegemonic
power and therefore it is now a legitimate concern of every South Asian to see how government of
India is upholding its human rights obligations. He called upon the Nepalese civil society to support
the righteous and extraordinary struggle of Sharmila. He asserted that it is the right of the people of
Manipur to live in peace and in freedom without AFSPA.
Prominent human rights lawyer, Dinesh Tripathi, who is leading the transitional justice process in post
conflict Nepal also spoke. He pointed out the paradox of a ‘democratic’ India continuing with an
emergency law like AFSPA for more than half a century in Manipur. He empathized that this
prolonged and systematic violation of human rights is a legitimate concern of the international
community and called for building up international solidarity around this issue.
The presentations were followed by a question and answer session. Different ideas were shared
comparing and contrasting the human rights situation of Manipur with that of Nepal.
Yours sincerely,
Babloo Loitongbam
Executive Director
Human Rights Alert
* This Press Relese was sent to e-pao.net by Human Rights Alert who can be contacted at hramanipur(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This Press Release was posted on April 20 2016
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