Puduchery joins anti-AFSPA wagon
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 02 2013 :
More than hundred activists and journalists participated in the State Level Seminar on "Armed Forces Special Powers Act Nation's, People's and Women's Security"at Tamil Sangam Hall in Puducherry today organised by India Social Action Forum (INSAF) .
Prof A Marx of the People's Union for Human Rights gave a detailed background on the genesis of AFSPA and the people's struggle to repeal the Act, according to a statement.
RN Ravi, Retd Director of IB for the North East elaborated how AFSPA is an Act of war and when applying in "disturbed areas" it is in fact treating the entire population as suspects.
Strongly advocating that the Act has not place in a democracy, he said it is a national shame that after 60 years of independence we are still struggling for its repeal.
Heri Tiphagne, Chairman of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM ASIA) narrated his experience of participating in the festival of Hope, Justice and Peace on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Irom Sharmila hunger strike in 2010 .
He also pointed out how the various UN human rights bodies have consistently recommended the repeal of AFSPA and asserted that if India wants to claim for its rightful place in the world as the champion of human rights and democracy it has to get rid of AFSPA, it said.
Sugumaran, Convenor of the Federation for People's Rights Punducheery narrated his experience of being a part of national fact finding mission in the aftermath of the rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama in 2004 .
Babloo Loitongbam of Human Rights Alert asserted that the struggle for the repeal of AFSPA is not an individual struggle for Sharmila or for that matter Manipuri people or the people of the North East and J&K.But is a struggle for anyone and everyone who cherish democratic values and oppose militarism.
What started a state of exception in the Naga Hills in 1950s has engulfed the whole North East and Jammu and Kashmir over the years.
There is already a proxy AFSPA in the naxalite affected red corridor, he pointed out adding, "If we do not reverse this process, the exception will eventually become rule for the whole country and India will be no different from Pakistan," the statement added.