Wairi lends voice to anti-AFSPA cry
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Wairi/Imphal, March 04 2014 :
Mass Rally cum public meeting on crime against humanity and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 was jointly organized by Wairi Yaikairol Club, Women Welfare Association, Development Committee, Maniyaiskul Youth Progressive Club, Maniyaiskul Meirapaibi Lup, Ideal Club Waiton and North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) at Wairi in Imphal East District today.
Elders from the locality Konsam Munal Singh, Athokpam Ibotombi and Yambem Khomei were present on the occasion as presidium members while Babloo Loitongbam, Executive Director of Human Rights Alert; Khoirom Loyalakpa, Chief Editor of Naharolgi Thoudang; U.Nobokishore, Convener of North East Dialogue Forum and Sobita Mangsatabam, Secretary of Women Action for Development spoke as resource persons.
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The rally was flagged off by Konthoujam Kalachand Meitei, Pradhan of Waiton Gram Panchayat.
The rallyists demanded repeal of AFSPA immediately and justice to the victims.
They also shouted slogans like "Repeal AFSPA and We Want Justice" throughout and held placards inscribed with wordings like "Repeal AFSPA, 1958", "Down with Indian Racism", "Stop Genocide", "Stop Crime against Women and Children", "Respect International Humanitarian Law", "Respect & Implement Common Article 3 of Geneva Conventions, 1949", "Punish the Rapists", "Stop Crime against Humanity" and "We Want Justice", etc.
At the end of the mass rally cum public meeting, the participants unanimously adopted certain recommendations for both the Government of India and the armed opposition groups to act on them.
To the Government of India, the meet recommended that Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 be repealed t once, to respect and implement the common article 3 of Geneva Conventions, 1949 and Additional Protocol-II of 1977 and urges to establish Special Investigation Team to investigate into all cases of rape, enforced disappearance, torture and killing of innocent civilians and provide justice and reparations to the victims.
The meet also urged the Armed Opposition Groups to to respect and implement the common article 3 of Geneva Conventions, 1949 and Additional Protocol-II of 1977, to reconcile and cease factional fights and sign and respect Deed of Agreement of Geneva Call on the use of Landmine, on Gender based Violence and on Violence against Children.