Imphal, November 28: Outrightly rejecting the offer of the Prime Minister to review the provisions of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act within six months time, the Apunba Lup today said that the policy of the Indian Government is nothing but to try and tempt the people with hollow promises.

In a leaflet submitted to the press today, the publicity committee of the Working Committee of the Lup said that the past 45 years of the imposition of AFSPA should have been enough reason to convince the Indian Government that the Act has done nothing but given sweeping powers to the security personnel to harass, kill and rape the people of Manipur.

The worst hit has been the women folk of Manipur, the mothers and sisters who have been forced to witness the brutalities of the security personnel, said the leaflet and recalled that many women have been gang raped in front of their husbands and children while many others have committed suicide after their chastity were violated by the men in uniform.

A number of women were also forced to give birth in the open field by the security personnel, recalled the leaflet.

This is not all, many mothers have had their children snatched from them only to find their children being riddled with bullets with the claim that they killed in an encounter.

Many parents still have to live with the nightmare of their sons disappearing after they were picked up by security personnel, said the Apunba Lup.

All these have become possible because of the immunity granted to the security personnel under the AFSPA, said the Lup further.

The leaflet also recalled the self immolation of Pebam Chittaranjan, the death of Memita while protesting against the Act, the nude protest staged by 12 women in front of Kangla, the self immolation bid by five activists of MAFYF and the numerous street protests where people had to face rubber bullets, lathi charge and tear gas shells from the security personnel.

Despite the growing voice of opposition to such a draconian law like AFSPA, the Indian Government is intent on making the people of Manipur continue to suffer under this Act, it charged and added that even Amnesty International has spoken out against this black law.

In all the cases of excesses and atrocities justice has never been delivered, claimed the Apunba Lup and added numerous judicial inquiry, magisterial inquiry and Army Court of Inquiry have been reduced to a farce The army authority has never co-operated with any of the inquiries initiated by the State Government, charged the Lup and asked whether they have been given the licence to do as they please.

Despite numerous memoranda, numerous meetings and protests, the Indian Government is not ready to lift this Act, said the Lup and added that the recent assurance of the Prime Minister that the Act will be reviewed rings hollow as the demand of the people is nothing short of its total revocation from Manipur.

Urging the women folk to take the protest to its logical conclusion, the Lup asked all women to be ready for more tougher fights.

The Lup also derided the policy of the Centre to militarily cripple the militancy movement, while it is an acknowledged fact that the issue can be resolved only through a political dialogue.

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