Ramda, Not true. The day after Irom Sharmila reached Delhi, I saw quite a few pictures in the Indian newspapers of civil liberties supporters sitting in dharna with her.
Here is one I could locate: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2106250,curpg-4.cms As an Indian, it gave me a bit of a heart! Rajib --- Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >Unless I missed it, there was not a voice of > democracy waving Assam Netters > to be heard >in support of Sharmila's lonely > struggles, > > C'da, > > You are correct. The Sentinel article, also says > that she is virtually alone > in her protest and it is surprising, that there is > no one, be it India > lovers or India baiters. > > But there has been a lot of lip service - specially > from the media. But > thats about it. > > --Ram > > > On 10/11/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > > Another surprisingly good editorial from the > Sentinel. > > > > > > Unless I missed it, there was not a voice of > democracy waving Assam > > Netters to be heard in support of Sharmila's > lonely struggles, when it was > > aired a few days ago in this forum. > > > > > > Some 'democratic' values, these. Be it Indian, be > it Assam Netters'! > > > > > > > > > > cm > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Inbuilt Brutality > > > > > > The hunger strike campaign of Irom Sharmila in New > Delhi to protest > > against the continuance of two discriminatory > Draconian laws in some of the > > northeastern States comes much too late in the > day.* However, that is not > > the worst of it. What is indeed a pity is that > this just campaign of protest > > should have been taken up by just one woman in the > national capital instead > > of being a concerted and ceaseless campaign by the > people of all the > > northeastern States*.* Nay, it should have been a > national campaign of the > > people of all the States as an act of solidarity > with the people of the > > Northeast. But when has anyone seen the entire > nation rising in protest > > against a gross injustice against the northeastern > States?* However, the > > voice of protest has been strong in Manipur even > though Manipuris constitute > > a very tiny part of the Indian nation. One recalls > the several powerful > > demonstrations against the armed forces in > Manipur, culminating in the one > > where a dozen Manipuri women protested naked in > front of the Assam Rifles > > headquarters after the gang-rape and murder of > Thangjam Manorama in the > > custody of the Assam Rifles. > > The two Draconian laws against which Sharmila is > demonstrating in New > > Delhi are the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act > and the Disturbed Areas Act. > > Armed with these two laws for Asom, Manipur, > Nagaland and Tripura, the armed > > forces have the power (in these four States) to > shoot down just anybody even > > on mere suspicion. These two laws empower even a > noncommissioned officer to > > shoot down any citizen of these four States on > suspicion of anti-national or > > terrorist activities. There is no provision like a > magistrate having to be > > present even somewhere in the vicinity. And it is > such Draconian and inhuman > > provisions for a democracy that have led to > countless fake encounters with > > so-called insurgents. The normal protocol for > these four States is that the > > armed forces shoot down someone on mere suspicion > first, and then plant the > > necessary incriminating evidence like an AK-47 > rifle, a Chinese pistol, hand > > grenades and "incriminating documents" on him > thereafter. Likewise, the > > armed forces can gang-rape and then murder a woman > and later claim that she > > was a terrorist. This is one blatant act of > injustice involving no less than > > human life that is attracting more and more people > towards insurgency. These > > two laws go a long way in taking away the > responsibility of accountability > > from the armed forces. And even when this is done > in respect of the armed > > forces vis-à-vis citizens in a democracy,* it is > like wilfully turning > > that democracy into a banana republic.* > > What is amusing about the review of the Armed > Forces (Special Powers) Act > > is that the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee > constituted to review the > > controversial Act has recommended that the > legislation be repealed, but only > > after incorporation of certain features into the > Unlawful Activities > > (Prevention) Act.* This is like having another law > with the features of > > the black law to be repealed so that the > overweening powers given to the > > armed forces in the four States of the Northeast > as also in Jammu & Kashmir > > continue to be available to the military.* This is > like passing on to the > > left hand what we do not like to see in the right > hand. Not surprisingly, > > this suggestion of the Reddy Committee has raised > the hackles of all the > > civil rights groups in Manipur, though one does > not see very much of a > > reaction in the other States where the two black > laws are in force as well. > > If it is the duty of the Centre to protect > citizens of every Indian State > > from external aggression and internal disturbance > (responsibilities that the > > Centre has failed to discharge), it is equally the > responsibility of the > > Centre to put an end to state terrorism and > needless brutality with an iron > > hand.There are many more disturbed areas in the > country. Why are such > > Draconian laws reserved only for some States? > > > > _______________________________________________ > > assam mailing list > > [email protected] > > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
