Repeal AFSPA call rung out at Ghy meet
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 10 2017: Senior Advocate Khaidem Mani has made it clear that India can never become a member of the United Nation's Security Council until and unless the inhuman Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, is repealed from the State, at the North East Indigenous People's Conference which was organised on September 6 and 7 at Srimanta Sankerdev International Auditorium, Guwahati .

Speaking to media persons at his residence at Loklaobung today, Khaidem Mani stressed on the need for a revision of Article 3 of the Indian Constitution and the introduction of a new legislation to include the term Indigenous people in the Constitution .

On the second day of the conference which was participated by around 3000 individuals, including representatives of the seven North East States, he explained the exploitation of power under AFSPA and the need for demilitarisation of the North East region.

He said that during the Prime Ministership of Dr Manmohan Singh, a review committee headed by Justice Jeevan Reddy, had recommended AFSPA 1958 to be repealed.

He pointed out that under Article 352, the Government has to declare an emergency to combat militancy but AFSPA itself is an undeclared emergency .

Based on these facts, he explained at the conference that India need to repeal AFSPA from the State if it desires to become a member of the UN's Security Council and if it regards itself as a democracy .

The Constitution of India is regarded as one of the biggest in the world, but it lacks proper provision protecting the indigenous people of the North East region, he added .

Khaidem Mani explained that Meiteis and other many other ethnic communities are neither included in the general majority nor are ST/SC but are still indigenous people and it is high time for the Government of India to recognize and protect their rights by making appropriate legislation, preferably including the definition of the word 'Indigenous People' .

He further stated that Article 3 of the Constitution need to be revised to prevent reorganisation of the North East States taking into consideration the critical issue of protection of the indigenous people of the region.

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