Marathon hunger strike against AFSPA Remembering the massacres
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: April 1 2016 -

Acquitted by the Court. That is Irom Sharmila.

In other words, this could mean that the fast launched by Sharmila for the last 16 years is not a fast unto death agitation, but a marathon fast against the continued imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Manipur.

To uphold the law and neutralise the militants, is the rationale behind the continued imposition of the said Act, but the question is whether AFSPA has been able to curb militancy or not.

A look at the reality should tell its own story.

After the Army Act was imposed in the whole of the State in 1980, the number of armed outfits has only increased, underlining the point that AFSPA has not been that effective in tackling militancy.

On the other hand it has only helped in further alienating the people as it is the common people who have been at the receiving end of the excesses of the security personnel.

The excesses obviously comes from the immunity granted by the said Act. Also remember Sharmila launched her fast after 10 civilians were shot dead by personnel of the 8 Assam Rifles in 2000.

The Malom incident later came to be known as the Malom Massacre for it was nothing but a mass massacre. This was not the first time that Manipur had been at the receiving end of security personnel and the RIMS massacre, Tonsen Lamkhai killings, Heirangoithong massacre are some instances that come to mind.

Over and above this, numerous people too have disappeared and one just has to recall the stories of Sanamacha, Loken, Lokendro, Laishram Bijoykumar etc to highlight how much the people have suffered under this Act.

The movement against AFSPA received a fillip after the bullet riddled body of Thangjam Manorama was recovered after she was picked up by personnel of 17 Assam Rifles on July 10, 2004.

It was the battered body of Manorama and the people’s stand against the continued imposition of AFSPA which gave birth to the now famous nude protest in front of Kangla where the 17 Assam Rifles was then stationed.

Imphal burnt for days thereafter, prompting the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to fly down to the State capital and then announce the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee to look into the demand to revoke AFSPA.

That the recommendations of the Jeevan Reddy Committee have been put in the back burner should tell its own story, but significant to note that AFSPA is not imposed in any other parts of the country, except the North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

It was during the intense agitation against this Act back in 2004 that the State Government was constrained to roll back the Disturbed Area tag from the Assembly segments falling under Imphal Municipal Corporation.

However AFSPA remains and it is stupefying to note that there is an Act which empowers the security personnel to open fire to the extent of causing death on mere suspicion.