Nationwide campaign to free hunger striker Irom Sharmila, repeal AFSPA culminates
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, August 18 2011:
A nation-wide protest campaign "Free Sharmila, Repeal AFSPA" that began on May 22 culminated today to coincide with the 53rd year since the ordinance was enacted by an Act (AFSPA) of Parliament in 1958.The day marked the release of a report by human rights advocacy groups that details "sanctioning repression in violation of India's human rights obligations " .
A statement issued by co-coordinator of Just Peace Foundation (JPF) Jyotilal Longjam recounted that the government of India promulgated the Armed Forces Special Power Ordinance on May 22, 1958 to meet the challenges of an extraordinary situation arising out of the assertions of the Nagas.
The ordinance of 1958 was a copy of a similar ordinance promulgated by the colonial British on Aug 15, 1942 to suppress the uprising of Quit India Movement, the statement said while adding that the ordinance gave extraordinary powers to the members of the armed forces, such as arrest without warrant and shoot to kill on the basis of suspicion.
The Parliament subsequently converted this ordinance, which was brought in as a temporary measure, into an Act on Aug 18, 1958 and the President gave his assent on Sept 11, 1958, it added.
Given the background, National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), National Fish Workers' Federation (NFF) and People Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) have called a nationwide protest "Free Sharmila, Repeal AFSPA", calling upon the government of India to repeal the Act and free Irom Sharmila.
The campaign that began on May 22 ended today with many civil society groups from across the country showing widespread solidarity to the epic struggle launched by Irom Sharmila over a decade ago.
JPF organized a Children's Parliament on AFSPA on May 22 in Manipur to call for an action and to strengthen the nationwide campaign.
A press conference was again organized at Press Club in New Delhi on June 25 and later the same day candle light prayer was conducted in the evening at Rajghat to support the non-violent protest of Sharmila with a demand to "Save Irom Sharmila" by many civil society groups including NAPM, Asha Parivar, Gandhi Global Family, Jagriti Mahila Samiti, Khudai Khidmatgar, Yuva Koshish and Mission Bhartiyam, added the JPF statement.
A Kerala based Hind Swaraj Forum has been organizing a monologue play across Kerela on the life and struggle of Irom Sharmila called "Le Mashale" since Aug 16 and will go on till Aug 22, informed JPF.
To mark the 54th-year-in-running of AFSPA a report prepared jointly by Asian Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Alert and REDRESS entitled "The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in Manipur and other States of Northeast of India: sanctioning repression in violation of India's human rights obligations" has been released today by former Manipur Human Rights Commission member Yambem Laba at Manipur Press Club here.
Speaking on the occasion, human rights advocate Babloo Loitongbam compared Sharmila's decade-long fast with Anna Hazare's ongoing four-day fast and said that even though the comparison is needless it speaks volume about the need for the people of Manipur to awaken and stand united in the movement against the "draconian martial law".
Elaborating his statement, Babloo said Anna Hazare just fasted for four days (earlier agitation of Anna) and the whole nation erupted "but for Sharmila who has been fasting for more than ten years, civil organisations in India refuse to acknowledge her cause" .
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