Campaign update: manipur Freedom
Intercultural Resources, INSAF and Reachout
Invite you to
A panel discussion and press conference
on
Sustaining violence and impunity
50 Years of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958
On 22nd May 1958, the Government of India promulgated an ordinance called the Armed Forces Special Powers Ordinance to meet the challenges arising out of the assertions of the Naga tribes in the then Naga Hills of Assam and parts of the then North Eastern Frontier Agency (NEFA). This ordinance was almost identical to a similar ordinance promulgated by the colonial British on 15 August 1942 to suppress the uprising of Quit India Movement. It gave extraordinary powers to members of the armed forces, such as arrest without warrant and shoot to kill on the basis of suspicion. The Parliament subsequently converted this ordinance, (which was brought in as a temporary measure), into an Act on 18 August 1958, and the President gave his assent on 11 September 1958.
Dear Friends
Greetings from the People from Manipur
It is with a great pleasure and high hopes that are seeking to reach out to you through this letter. We, at PIPM, are a forum of civil society members from all walks of life across different ethnic groups, individual as well as institutional, who love the people of Manipur, people of India, and are striving to bring back PEACE in the troubled state of Manipur. In our efforts, we supported by several human rights groups civil society organisations, such as IPAC Delhi, Sampark Mumbai and many others.
As you know, the State of Manipur has been in a difficult situation for more than forty years. As such the entire North East region has seen a lot of violence, the people in State of Manipur in particular have been under constant threat of outbursts of violence, deriving both from the excesses of security forces and unbridled growth of insurgent groups. Civil society and civilians are very often directly targeted by the armed actors, based on the assumption that they are siding with ´the other party`. As a result democratic and human rights, as enshrined in the Indian constitution, have been under severe stress for more than two generations!
United Nations Committee on Racial Discrimination under the International Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination discussed seriously the periodic reports of India (CERD/C/IND/19) at Geneva on 23rd and 26th February 2007. Further the committee at its 1809th meeting (CERD/C/SR.1809) held on 6th March 2007 adopted in its Concluding observation of paragraph 12 page no. 3 on Armed Forces (Special Power) Act 1956.
The Committee notes with concern that the State party has not implemented the recommendations of the Committee to Review the Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958 to repeal the Act under which members of the armed forces may not be prosecuted unless such prosecution is authorised by the Central Government and have wide powers to search and arrest suspects without a warrant or to use forces against persons or property in Manipur and other north-eastern states which are inhabited by tribal peoples (art. 2(1)(c), 5(b), (d) and (6)
Dear All,
Sharmila has been nominated for the Indian of the Year award...It is
given by NDTV and LIC. the polling has already started...
the last date being 1st December 2007.
you can vote here..
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/poll_ioy2007.aspx
scroll down to unsung heroes category...
or
SMS in India : To vote for Irom Sharmila
sms I 29 to 56388
SMS in UK : To vote for Irom Sharmila
sms I 29 to 63880
SMS in UAE : To vote for Irom Sharmila
Dear friends,
It is now almost five months since Irom Sharmila returned to Imphal on 5th March 2007, to continue her hunger fast against the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The situation continues to be grim - both for Sharmila as well for all those suffering under the prolonged implication of AFSPA.
For those of you reading about Sharmila's epic struggle for the first time – on 4th November 2000, 28 year old Irom Sharmila Chanu started her hunger fast seeking repeal of the draconian AFSPA. This was her response to one among countless incidents of arbitrary killing by the Armed Forces in the north east when on 2nd November 2000, 10 innocent civilians were killed at Malom near Imphal, Manipur.
New Delhi: 19th January 2007
The health condition of Irom Sharmila Chanu deteriorates under the arbitrary detention of Delhi police in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Since 7 th October 2006 she has been detained in two different hospitals (AIIMS and RML) at Delhi. Since then she has lost 4 kgs. and her current body weight is only 37 kg.
Today, the Delhi High Court heard the two fresh applications filed by her brother Singhajit. The first application asked for RML to be made a party to the case and also to handover all medical records to Sharmila's family. So far the hospital had refused to give any medical reports. The High Court has now asked for copies of all medical records to be produced on Tuesday, 23 rd January – the next date of hearing. The Court has expressed its opinion that Sharmila can be detained in order to protect her health. It is critical to note that during six years of detention in Manipur her weight had remained almost constant.
Repeal The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958
A Call for Your Participation
For over 6 years now, Irom Sharmila has been on a fast unto death. Six years, without food or a drop of water touching her lips.
For this "crime", for her peaceful satyagraha, she has been arrested by the government and is being forcibly nose fed.
Sharmila has been demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 (AFSPA). So have the people of Manipur, many civil society groups and concerned organizations and individuals.
The AFSPA is a drastic law that allows army personnel of any rank (and any paramilitary / security officer under their command) to shoot, arrest or search without a warrant. And to even shoot to kill on suspicion alone!
Campaign Against AFSPA, Militarisation and Impunity public fund raising program request from all the Civil Society Organisations, involved in the struggle.
Dear All,
The long drawn campaign against AFSPA, Militarisation and Impunity has reach a crucial phase. The arrival of Sharmila in Delhi, who has been fasting for last 6 years to repeal AFSPA. This historical juncture must serve as a rallying point to strengthen the struggle. The subsequent visit of Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace has endorsed the ligitimacy of this struggle. The biggest ahead of us is the sustainance and strengthening of this struggle. There is a need for a nation-wide campaign against the AFSPA, Militarisation nad Impunity. As a part of the strategy, there is also a need to internationalise the struggle. Support in kind or monetary assistance to oversome some of our organizational handicaps.
We are Waiting for the Reports from all parts in India. Send the details of protests with Photograph in Your area as early as possible
Thiruvananthapuram: Protest March by Fisherwomen....
Solidarity Rally in Thiruvananthapuram Organised by Theeradesa mahila vedi
Fisherwomen, under the leadership of Theeradesa Mahila Vedi, the women’s wing of the Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF), held a protest march with black cloth tied on their mouth demanding the safety of Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has been fasting for the past six years. The protest march was followed by a dharna in front of the AGS office.The President of KSMTF Shri.T.Peter said that the sathyagraha by Irom Sharmila Chanu of Manipur, protesting the terror by the armed forces including rape of women and killing of 10 persons, is a matter of pride for the women of India. He demanded that the Central Government should immediately intervene to find a solution to Irom’s sathyagrahaThe President of Theeradesa Mahila Vedi Ms.Elizabeth Antony, Ms.Friska Kurisippan, Ms.Maglin Peter, the District President of the
Federation Shri.Valerian Issac, Ms.Mable Nasiance, Ms.Jensila Antony and Ms.Sheela Anto spoke on the occasionThe march that began from the ‘Rakthasakshi Mandapam’ at Palayam was led by Ms.Mable Bernard and Ms.Selvi David.
Patna
In solidarity to Irom Sharmila: Snippets of Solidarity Meeting at Patna
Protest against AFSPA in Patna
In response to a ‘Call For Action’ convened by Manipur Freedom Campaign on November 2, 2006, coinciding with six years of hunger strike by Irom Sharmila Chanu in protest against the repressive Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958, a solidarity meeting was organized at Patna by ‘Praxis’ and the Bihar state unit of ‘Ekta Parishad’. Participants of the meet included supporters of Manipur Freedom Campaign drawn from several districts of Bihar, who observed a one-minute silence in solidarity with Sharmila’s indefinite hunger strike and expressed their strong protest against the excesses committed by armed forces in Manipur. Several of the activists who attended the event likened the campaign with the youth-upsurge spearheaded by Jayaprakash Narayan against the state-proclaimed emergency in 1975 and lamented that even on the 100th year of Satyagrah, peace activists like Sharmila Chanu have had to remain on a hunger strike for six long years. Shri Pradeep Priyadarshi – Convenor of Bihar State Unit of Ekta Parishad wished the Campaign all success and aired a slogan exhorting the young people of the country to remedy the ills facing the country today. Shri Jay Kumar Verma of Praxis initiated the meeting by appealing for large-scale solidarity action in favour of Manipur Freedom Campaign. Some of the protesting activists hailing from far-flung areas of Bihar also wrote messages of solidarity addressed to Sharmila, which would be forwarded by Praxis to the Campaign secretariat.
manipur
The 6th Anniversary of Malom Massacre,On 2nd Nov. 2000 at 3.30 pm, at Malom Boraoi Makhong, 10 innocent civilian who were waiting at local bus stand were killed by 8th Assam Rifles, Manipur) observes today in Manipur. Just after the incident consequently, Sharmila has been continuing her fast to death till the removal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958 from Manipur.
In commemorating to her struggle “The Trust Committee on 10 Innocent Memorial Park†organized this observation. The main activities of this program were giving tributes to the departed souls and strengthen the solidarity of Sharmila to her struggle against the removal of AFSPA in Manipur. On this ill fated day the following 10 people were died.
1.. G. Baqbu Sharma, (50 yrs) of Lairenjam
2.. L. Sanma Devi (60) of Kabowakching
3. O. Sanayaima (50) of Nambol Naorem Leikai
4.. A.K. Bijoy Singh of (35) of Leimapokpam
5.. A. Raghumani singh (34) of Nambol Naorem Leikai
6.. S. robinson (27) Malom
7.. Ksh. Inaocha Singh (23) Malom
8.. T. shantimukar Singh (19) Malom
9.. S. Prakash Singh (18) Malom
10.. S. Chandramani singh (17) Malom
32 organizations all over India do support Sharmila’s stand and strongly
protest the AFSPA because under this act security personnel has been practicing heinous acts for instance rape, torture, sexual harassments, custodial torture/death and different forms of f human Rights violation in the North East India.
A case against Sharmila was registered at Imphal police station on October 17 under section 124-A IPC act( assaulting President, Governor etc. with the intention to restrain the exercise of any lawful power which is punishable with seven year imprisonment or fine ) of 1982 read with section 109 of IPC (seditious visible representation against government. Offender booked under this section of the IPC is liable for a 3 year imprisonment or fine.)
