Nation-wide 'Repeal AFSPA' campaign successfully held
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 06 2013:
Commemorating Irom Chanu Sharmila's 13 years struggle against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Just Peace Foundation (JPF) organized "Repeal AFSPA, Save Sharmila" campaign all over India in lieu of its Festival of Hope, Justice and Peace.
Talking to media persons at the office of Human Rights Alert (HRA) at Kwakeithel here today, Sharmila's brother Irom Singhajit said that the "Repeal AFSPA, Save Sharmila" campaign was held at New Delhi on November 4 with candle lighting at Samta Sthal, Rajghat in the evening.
A discussion programme and a play were also organized at Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Hindi Vishwavidalaya in Maharashtra as a part of the campaign.
The campaigners also submitted a memorandum to Gujarat Government on November 4, he noted.
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Singhajit further said that a public meeting was held at Gandhi Park, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala yesterday along with candle lighting at Asha Bhavan in Uttar Pradesh.
Protests were also organized in front of Deputy Commissioners' offices in Uttar Pradesh along with submission of memorandums to the state authorities.
On the other hand, members of Sharmila Kanba Lup carried out the campaign here at its Porompat office with mass fasting from early morning and candle lighting in the evening.
A sit-in was also staged at the Faculty of Arts, Delhi University today as a part of the "Repeal AFSPA" campaign.
The campaign was also joined by the people in Madhya Pradesh and Haryana by submitting memorandums to the Prime Minister for repeal of AFSPA through the district magistrates of several districts, he said.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has also initiated a campaign for the repeal of AFSPA by appealing to the supporters to give missed calls to telephone number 18002000059 .
Singhajit further maintained that some people questioned Sharmila's struggle as something to do with the separatist movement.
But, the campaign has made it clear to all that Sharmila only wants human rights violation under the shadow of AFSPA be stopped and nothing sort of separatism in her 13 years of struggle against the draconian law, he added.
Research scholar Kamala Thokchom said that people from all over the world have acknowledged Sharmila's struggle against rights violation.
A Japanese scholar at Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Hindi Vishwavidalaya has even begun a research on 13 years struggle of Irom Sharmila.
Director of Human Rights Alert (HRA), Babloo Loitongbam maintained that people from all over the country are extending solidarity to Irom Sharmlia in her struggle against AFSPA.
All pending cases of fake encounters are likely to be settled with case hearing scheduled in January next year, he averred.
Questioning if the State Government was responsible for the bomb blasts that took place in the heart of Imphal City while trying to re-impose AFSPA in Imphal Municipal area, Singhajit lamented that the elected representatives only brought up the issue of AFSPA at the time of election but soon forgot after getting elected.
Meanwhile, Manipur Nupi Marup also joined the "Repeal AFSPA, Save Sharmila" campaign by lighting candles at Irawat Bhavan today evening.