New Delhi, February 19: Several human rights organisations today appealed to the Government to withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA), saying it had given "blanket powers" to the security forces to "commit excesses".

"There is no justification in continuing with the ugly act.

We will not accept any amendment to it.

The Act has fostered a climate in which the law enforcing agencies use excessive force and set a pattern of apparently unlawful killings of 'suspected' civilians," Justice Rajinder Sacher, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, said.

Addressing People's Tribunal on AFSPA here, Justice Sacher criticised the state's "inability to check rights violation and warned a mere amendment to the Act will not help".

He said the AFSPA review committee should not "tinker" with the law by recommending amendments as such a recommendation would not serve the state.

"Tinkering with the law will not help the situation in Manipur," Sacher said.

Asian Centre for Human Rights Director, Subhas Chakma said the government has "failed" to protect the rights of the citizens in Manipur.

"The law-enforcing machinery has failed miserably in checking human rights violations in the state.

The Act gives blanket powers to the armed forces which is responsible for innumerable incidents of torture and killing," Chakma said.

The People's tribunal was organised to record the depositions of victims who have suffered under the Act and to investigate the impact of the legislation on human rights and civil liberties.

About ten victims deposed before the tribunal of Justice Rajinder Sacher, Justice Vinod Shanker Dave, former Judge, Rajasthan High Court, Kamal Mitra Chenoy, JNU professor, N Sanajaoba, HOD, Law Department Gauhati University and Tarun Kumar, Senior journalist today.

The tribunal is expected to draft a resolution on the issue.

Participating organisations in the tribunal included Human Rights Law Network, People's Union for Civil Liberty, Asian Centre for Human Rights, All India Students Association and Manipuri Students Union.

�PTI.

Our Staff Reporter adds: After the bullet riddled body of Thangjam Manorama was recovered in May last year, the people as one had risen to demand the complete repeal of the dreaded Act from the State.

The Centre decided to constitute a Review Committee headed by retired Justice Jeevan Reddy to study the provisions of the Act, after representatives of the Apunba Lup met the Prime Minister at New Delhi.

Six months is the outer limit given for the Review Committee to come out with its suggestions and the team first visited Manipur to seek the opinion and suggestions of the people.

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