Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 05:
Categorically stating that there is no question of a split within the Apunba Lup or a restructuring or broadening of the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup, the Lup today stated that certain elements, who have been taking refuge under the shadow of the Indian Government, have now started a campaign to throw a cloud of confusion over the united efforts taken up by the people to revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the State.
In a statement, the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup today said that there is no compromise on its stand over the total revocation of the Act and added that the time has come for the people to take a united stand to revoke the Act from Manipur as well as to defeat the designs of the "agents of the Indian Government" who have been trying to mislead the people.
As part of the ongoing agitation against the continued imposition of the Act, a two day seminar will be held on December 8 and 9 at GM Hall.
People from other parts of India will also attend the discourse to highlight how draconian the AFSPA is, said the statement and appealed to all to attend the two day meeting.
This will be followed by a public rally on December 10 to coincide with the International Human Rights Day.
The continued imposition of the AFSPA in the North East region is nothing but a blatant attempt to totally obliterate the identities of the people, who are physically and racially different from the people of mainland India, said the statement.
The stand of the people against AFSPA has been made clear to the Prime Minister and to other leaders of the Indian Govt.However certain vested interest elements have been trying to sow the seeds of confusion amongst the people, said the statement and added that such designs will never succeed.
The Lup also exhorted all the people to come out and show their unity openly by participating in the rally scheduled for December 10.The Lup also denied any internal rift and added that the Working Committee has not been restructured.
Representatives of various human rights/civil liberties/democratic rights organisations and movements from different parts of the North East and the rest of India will be taking part in the two day convention on December 8 and 9.On the first day of the convention, eminent scholar Prof M Horam and consulting editor and consulting editor of Economic and Political Weekly Gautam Navlekha would take the chair in the morning and afternoon sessions respectively.
The theme of the convention on day one would be Human Rights and AFSPA.