Imphal, August 24: Taking forward the public demand for removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 from Manipur completely, United Committee Manipur (UCM) has reiterated that imposition of the Act has proved counterproductive and further alienated the people not only of Manipur but also other North Eastern States from mainland India.

In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Dr Manmohon Singh today, UCM president Sapamcha Jadumani asserted that almost every international institutions and all human rights bodies in the country have dubbed the AFSPA, 1958 as a draconian and repressive Act.

The issue of AFSPA surfaced prominently during the discussion of the second period report of India under the ICCPR by the United Nations Human Rights Committee in 1991 at New York and the Committee members were shocked to learn such a legislation exist in a supposedly democratic country like India, the memorandum recalled.

The memorandum noted that though the public demand for removal of AFSPA has gain momentum after the custodial killing of Thangjam Manorama by personnel of 17 AR from her house on the intervening nights of July 10 and 11, the people of Manipur have been bearing the brunt of the repressive Act for long.

In fact Irom Chanu Sharmila has been on a fast unto death hunger strike for the last four years demanding the withdrawal of the Act, the memorandum mentioned.

Now the agitation has become a mass people's movement with all section of the civil societies taking part in it defying the repressive measures taken up by the State Government and its machineries to quell the people's voice, further said the memorandum.

It also demanded punishment of the AR personnel involved in the custodial killing of Thangjam Manorama under admissible laws of the Nation.

Meanwhile, secretary general of UCM Kh Gourashyam, in a statement has denounced the State, Governrnent for trying to mislead others on the true cause of the people of Manipur.

The ongoing agitation for withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur should not be termed as anti-national.

The agitating people are only demanding their democratic rights as citizens of the country, he said.

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