Repeal the AFSPA Human Rights Watch urges the government of India to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (1958) and the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act (1990).
The AFSPA is a symbol of abuse, oppression, and discrimination. Its application and misuse has fueled a cycle of atrocity and impunity and inflamed passions for militancy in various parts of the country. The growth of militant groups under the 50-year application of the AFSPA is evidence that countering armed insurgency with disregard for human rights is ineffective. Human Rights Watch is not alone in calling for repeal of the AFSPA. Human rights groups in India have called for repeal for decades. Other Indian voices calling for repeal have included the: a.. B.P. Jeevan Reddy Committee (2005);66 b.. Administrative Reforms Committee headed by Veerappan Moily (2007);67 and c.. Working Group on Confidence-Building Measures in Jammu and Kashmir headed by Mohammad Hamid Ansari (2007).68 Internationally, repeal has been called for by the: a.. UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions (2006);69 b.. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (2007);70 and c.. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (2007).71 In 1997, the UN Human Rights Committee expressed concern regarding the continuing reliance on the AFSPA and at human rights violations by security personnel in areas declared "disturbed." It expressed concern about the "climate of impunity" and lack of remedies resulting from the requirement of government approval for legal proceedings against armed forces acting under special powers. The Committee recommended that this requirement be abolished.72 Should the AFSPA be repealed, any future legislation aimed at dealing with militancy in areas currently subject to the AFSPA must comply with international human rights and humanitarian law. Such laws must ensure that the reporting, investigation, and prosecution of unlawful acts by members of the armed forces are not impeded. Full Report of Human Rights Watch on India is available at http://hrw.org/ backgrounder/ 2008/india0808/ Unlimited freedom, unlimited storage. Get it now, on http://help.yahoo.com/l/in/yahoo/mail/yahoomail/tools/tools-08.html/ ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/assamonline/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/assamonline/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
