Why isn't a rape a rape here ?
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: February 05, 2013 -

Student's protest against AFSPA on November 5 2011 in front of Kangla Gate Imphal :: Pix - Bullu Raj

Sidelining of the recommendations of Justice Verma Committee on reviewing the provisions of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 to bring sexual violence against women by uniformed personnel under the purview of ordinary criminal law has once again illustrated the perception of 'we versus them' that the people in the so-called 'disturbed areas' have always felt since the imposition of the military Act many decades back.

Even though the recommendations of Justice Verma Committee, which, of course, is the latest in a series of similar recommendations made by various panels in the past that have been buried quietly, was in the context of fighting crimes against women, how the provisions of the Act that grant extraordinary power and legal immunity to personnel of armed forces have always been at the heart of concerns about human rights violations in Jammu & Kashmir and North-eastern States including Manipur where the Act is in force for more than 5 decades now.

The misuse of the Act by personnel of armed forces have also been well-documented by various human rights protection groups, and public protest against continued imposition of the military Act denounced by many as draconian has garnered global support.

Even Amnesty International, which says that the Act is an excuse for extrajudicial and arbitrary killings on the pretext of counter insurgency, has questioned the democratic credentials of India for its inhumane and degrading treatment to some sections of its own people.

Yet, the Government of India has remained steadfast from heeding to any recommendation for review of the Act made by its own constituted penal or to the over 12 years long fast by Irom Chanu Sharmila demanding scrapping of the Act that smacks of racism.

On the other hand, the stage has been set for yet another round of 'strategic' week-long National Campaign in support of Irom Chanu Sharmila by several civil society organizations.

The campaign has been strategically planned from March 8 to coincide with International Women's Day observance and to culminate on March 14, which accidentally happens to be the birthday of Sharmila.

On the last day of the campaign, around 25 well-known social activists including Sandeep Pandey from Uttar Pradesh and Zulaikha Jaber from Chhattisgarh would come down to Imphal to observe a day-long fast in support of Sharmila's struggle against AFSPA.

An interesting aspect of the campaign this time is that the visiting social activists would be bringing candles (which are normally light up on birthday celebration) along with them but they would not be lighting them to convey the message that for Sharmila as well as for the rest of the people in Manipur where right to life is just a notion, a chimera, celebration of birthday is meaningless.

This, we feel, could be one of the most befitting tributes that one could ever pay to the 'Iron Lady of Manipur', who has been languishing in the security ward of JNIMS for more than 12 years now for a cause dear to the heart of the people suffering under the military Act.

Having said so, it is rather disturbing to note that there was not a whimper of protest from any quarters in the birthplace of Sharmila itself when the recommendations of Justice Verma Committee, which clearly stated that a rape is rape, no matter whether it is committed by an ordinary person or an Armyman, was given a quiet burial by the Government of India yet again.

Does this say something about the mentality of the people who have almost learnt to live with Armed Forces Special Powers Act for the last 5 decades?