Body hopes Supreme Court scrapes AFSPA
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 26 2012:
Citing continuous imposition of the controversial Armed Forces' Special Powers Act 1958 as the genesis for the endless hardships besieging people of Manipur for decades, Conflict Widow Forum Manipur has reposed hope on the Supreme Court to scrape the draconian law from the region.
Speaking to newspersons at Manipur Press Club today, Forum co-convenor Ibemcha said that due to immunity granted by AFSPA to security forces cases ranging from rape of womenfolk to extra-judicial executions of youths had been taking place in Manipur for the past many decades.
While claiming that at a session of UN Human Rights Committee held earlier this year in May-June, about 80 participating nations recommended total repealing of AFSPA 1958, she, however, was pessimistic that the global decision might not have the desired impact as the Government of India is yet to act positively on the recommendation of the Jeevan Reddy Commission, that had termed the Act as 'inhuman' .
Ibemcha, nevertheless, was confident that verdict by the Supreme Court of India on the ongoing fake encounter case would consequently pave the way for scrapping of the draconian AFSPA 1958 .
Pending the Supreme Court decree, the Central Government should take the initiative for setting up a special investigation team to probe all cases of extra-judicial killings, make the International Criminal Court a viable law enforcing mechanism in the country, ensure socio-economic and political justice to the victims of AFSPA and initiate political dialogues with all concerned to resolve problems afflicting manipur, the co-convenor suggested.
WAD secretary Sobita Mangsatabam along with the Forum's district convenors N Sunibala (Thoubal) and Kongkham Gangarani (Imphal West) and United Manipur Muslim Women's Organisation representative Anwari noorjahan were also present at the media briefing.