Civil societies resolve to launch agitation on AFSPA
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 02 2012:
Taking strong exception to the Government of India's statement given at the Universal Periodic Review that it would come up with a response to the issue of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act before the month of September, the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and the UN has resolved to launch different modes of agitation until the time Government of India comes up with its response.
Talking to media persons today, Human Rights Alert Executive Director Babloo Loitongbam and Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and the UN Convenor Debabrata Roy Laifungbam said that a session was held from 1 pm to 3 pm of May 24 as a part of the UN Human Rights Council meeting.
At the meeting, the Indian representatives did not give any assurance about repealing AFSPA.
They only stated that the Government of India would give a response to the issue of AFSPA before the month of September 2012 .
The Government of India was represented by 19 members at the meeting.
Until the Government of India comes with its response before September, the Civil Coalition for Human Rights and the UN has geared to undertake different modes of agitation starting from June, said Babloo and Debabrata.
Babloo Loitongbam and Jiten Yumnam, secretary of the Citizens Concern for Dams and Development attended the UN meeting.
During the meeting, they submitted a representation to the UN with a list of recommendations which included ratification of the ILO Convention 169 Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, ratification of the Convention Against Torture, ratification of the Convention on Enforced Disappearances and ratification of the Second Optional Protocol on International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by extending a permanent moratorium on death penalty.
During the meeting which was attended by representatives of 80 countries, representatives from Slovakia made a strong appeal to repeal AFSPA 1958 .
Representatives from Switzerland, France, the USA, Spain and Trinidad and Tobago suggested review of AFSPA.