Imphal, April 03 2010: Reacting to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement that amendments to the infamous Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act are ready and the same would be submitted to the Central Cabinet, many human rights activists have insisted on total repeal of the Act, rejecting any form of replacement.

Notably, AFSPA has evolved into an all-dominating issue in Manipur over the last two decades.

In view of the fact that AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the armed forces even to shoot and kill people on mere suspicion under the command of any non-commissioned officer, the same Act has been the cause of many mass movements in Manipur.

Union Home Minister Chidambaram said today in Itanagar that the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee's recommendations and the Second Administrative Reform Commission on replacing the military act with a more humane law will be placed before the Central Cabinet soon.

The most massive and sustained movement against the draconian Act was witnessed in the summer of 2004 in the aftermath of the rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama by Assam Rifles personnel on July 11, the same year.

Compelled by the high-pitched and the sustained movement, the State Government lifted AFSPA from Imphal Municipal areas.

Wahengbam Joykumar, a human rights defender, remarked that the Home Minister's comment is not acceptable to the people of Manipur.

Pointing out that the draconian act gives unbridled powers to security forces encouraging them to commit all kinds of human rights violation, Joykumar reiterated that the people's demand is total repeal of the act, not replacement in any form.

Joykumar further asserted that security personnel have raped many women, killed hundreds of people and have been instrumental in numerous cases of involuntary disappearance, all perpetrated under the immunity granted by AFSPA.

"AFSPA has no place in this civilized world and there is no good reason to amend it and hence it should go.

Instead of amending the act, the centre should enforce other existing laws like the IPC, CrPc etc," Joykumar said.

Observing that many more UG outfits have mushroomed in the aftermath of imposition of the AFSPA, he pointed out the counter-productivity of the act.

If New Delhi wants to resolve insurgency movement in the North East region, it should work towards bringing a political solution rather than deploying its military to suppress the movement, he asserted.

He also reminded of Irom Chanu Sharmila's unprecedented and unsurpassed campaign against the draconian act.

General secretary of the All Manipur United Clubs' Organization (Amuco), Ph Deban said AFSPA should be repealed, not replaced.

"When even the Prime Minister has accepted that the act is inhumane, what is the motive behind continued imposition of AFSPA", he asked.

People of Manipur would never accept anything short of total repeal, Deban said.

Anita Devi, convener of the erstwhile Khurai JAC against the alleged fake encounter killing of Chungkham Sanjit, too demanded scrapping of the military act and not amendments.

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