Consultation programme held at Moreh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 25 2014 : A consultation programme held yesterday at Moreh Trade Centre observed that Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 violates Right to Life of indigenous people, leads to the increase of number of insurgent groups and contradicts Common Article-III of the Geneva Convention.

The consultation programme, which was held on the topic, 'UN Declaration of Indigenous People and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958', was jointly organised by ZICORD and Hill Tribal Council (HTC), Moreh.

Tamil Sangam Advisor KBS Maniam, Human Rights Alert Executive Director Babloo Loitongbam, Hueiyen Lanpao (English) Editor Usham Satyajit, North East Dialogue Forum Member T Chaoba and Women Action for Development Secretary Sobita Mangsatabam spoke at the programme as resource persons.

Giving keynote address, ZICORD Convenor Peter Zamhen said that former MP from Manipur, Laishram Achou opposed AFSPA when the Act was first discussed in the Parliament.

However, his views were undermined by the majority of the law makers, he added.

Saying that the Act was first imposed to check the activities of Naga National Council (NNC) in the 1950s, Zamhen said that NNC was the only armed insurgent group at that time.

However, Manipur has witnessed mushrooming up of many armed groups after the imposition of the Act.

Opining that the Act has failed to check the activities of insurgent groups, Zamhen said that Manipur has now around 15 Meitei groups, 20 Kuki groups and five Naga groups.

Babloo Loitongbam said that AFSPA contradicts the Common Article-III of the Geneva Convention, for which India is also a signatory country.

Informing that the Common Article-III says that military forces and insurgents must uphold the dignity of common people, Babloo said that AFSPA on the otherhand empowers a Non-Commissioned Officer to kill a person on suspicion.

Babloo said that the draconian Act has been imposed in the North East States without any basis declaring the region as a 'disturbed area' by the Government of India.

However, the Act was not imposed neither in Punjab when Indira Gandhi was assassinated nor in Tamil Nadu when his son Rajiv Gandhi was murdered.

The Act was also never enforced in Mumbai, where hundreds were killed by terrorists and in Chhattisgarh, where 76 CRPF personnel were slain in a single ambush, he added.

Maintaining that it is now clear that the Government of India is not interested to declare 'disturbed area' status at other violent-torn States and terrorist active areas other than the North East region, Babloo opined that imposition of the draconian Act is tantamount to racial extermination of the indigenous people of the North East States.

Chaoba said that AFSPA was first introduced during British colonial rule in India to suppress Quit India Movement.

Saying that the Act was known as Armed Forces (Special Powers) Ordinance during British rule, Chaoba questioned the intention of the Government of India in clamping an Act relevant to colonial rule.

Satyajit Usham said that AFSPA violates the rights of indigenous people mentioned in different UN declarations.

Sobita Mangsatabam said that permission from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs is mandatory if a rape trial is to be conducted against a security personnel at the areas where AFSPA is imposed.

It is the clear indication of India Government's intention to use rape as a weapon in AFSPA imposed areas, she added.

As such, many rape victims have compelled to commit suicide or become mentally disturbed persons, she said.

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