Statement of Irom Singhjit Singh on AFSPA at UN in Geneva

Geneva, September 24, 2015:

Irom Singhjit Singh speaking on AFSPA at UN in Geneva

30th Regular Session of Human Rights Council at UN in Geneva has series of intervention against AFSPA on grounds of human rights violation, militarisation and discriminatory

Statement of Irom Singhjit Singh (Just Peace Foundation)

Mr. President,

I am thankful to for giving me this opportunity to address some of the key issues of arbitrary behalf of Mr. President it is my humble request to intervene on the arbitrary arrest and detention of my sister, Irom Sharmila Chanu . She is a human rights defender struggling for the repeal of army law (AFSPA) in democracy India.

She has been on hunger strike for 15 years in protest against the army law, Armed Forces Special Powers Act where gross human rights violation has been done by the Indian army in the name of security of the people and this law has engendered many acts of police violence in the State of Manipur and North East India and Jammu and Kashmir.

She has been arrest and detain on charges of attempt to commit suicide and forced fed, which she has been denied since 2000. I would like to denounces that ongoing arbitrary detention of her, which seems aimed at sanctioning her human rights activities, in particular her peaceful protest against the AFSPA, and fears for her physical and psychological integrity. We are urging you to put pressure to the Indian authorities to put an end to her ongoing detention.

It may be mentioned that my sister, began her hunger strike after the "Malom massacre" of November 2, 2000, in which members of the Assam Rifles shot down ten innocent people including women and children Manipur, India. The AFSPA empowers soldiers to arrest, keep in detention, and shoot at any person so as to “maintain public order” if any person is suspected to be an “insurgent”. These actions can be carried out with total impunity, as the law requires the permission from the central Government to prosecute a member of the army.

Adding to the challenges is meeting her in the Jail, recently the Ministry of Home Affairs instructed to all the provinces/state in India not to allow to meet any under trials in Jail without prior letter of appointment that has to be informed one (1) month in advance for the Indian citizen and two (2) months for the foreigners with a deposit of nearly 1700 US$ beforehand to the Jail authorities which itself violates the Jail Manuals of India as well as the Constitution.

Mr. President I would like to request to recommend the Government of India Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Irom Sharmila Chanu as well as of all human rights defenders in India;

ii. Repeal army law in Democracy India and revoke the detention of her since it is arbitrary, as it only aims at sanctioning her human rights activities; and also to put an end to all acts of harassment - including at the judicial level - against her so that they are able to carry out their work without hindrances.

Thanking you Mr. President, hoping for your urgent intervention.