Dear friends, human rights defenders & campaigners, There is no mention of Nagas or Nagaland conflict in the note. Specifically mentioning Nagas or not mentioning them has serious political implications in north eastern areas, particularly in the context of human rights campaigns.
Therefore I would like to appeal to all of you to always include the Nagas and Kashmiris adequately if not proportionately along with our Manipuri friends in any campaign against AFSPA. Otherwise it’s an insult to Irom Sharmila, who is struggling for not just the Manipuris, but for all human beings who are under the Indian administration as its subjects. AFSPA/AFSPO is a saga of more than 69 years of human rights violation in India. The Act (AFSPA) was first formally introduced in the north-eastern ‘frontier’ areas in order to crush the Nagas who resisted the merger of some of the ‘frontier’ territories with the Indian Union in 1947. During this period several Naga villages were burnt down and hundreds killed. Ironically, this draconian Act has its origins in an ordinance of the colonial era. When the Congress gave the call for Quit India on August 8, 1942, the then Viceroy, Lord Linlithgow declared emergency all over British India and promulgated the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Ordinance, 1942 on August 15, 1942, conferring the special powers to the armed forces to use force against or even kill civilians on mere suspicion. In north eastern region, this colonial draconian legislation was preceded by several other equally heinous laws like the Assam Maintenance of Public order Act, 1953 and the Disturbed Area Act, 1955. Later, similar Acts like the Nagaland Security Regulation Act, 1962 and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 came into force in these areas. Similarly, in J&K, the collapse of civil government has direct link with the fraudulent 1989 elections and introduction of the Act in 1990 there. Since then J&K has been bleeding and officials have been decorated with gallantry awards & benefits. The NPMHR case judgement of 1997 also illustrates the state of affairs of our country in the context of our judicial system and justice. Regards, Sundara Babu On 12 May 2011 08:32, Kavita Srivastava <[email protected]> wrote: > *Call for a Nationwide Protest* >> >> * >> * >> >> *Repeal AFSPA, Free Sharmila * >> >> * >> * >> >> * >> * >> >> *NOW!!!* >> >> * >> * >> >> Let us raise our voice >> >> >> >> Beginning May 22, 2011 >> >> >> >> the day the Indian Parliament promulgated the ordinance in 1958 >> >> * >> * >> >> *Taking our struggle upto August 18, * >> >> >> >> the day the Indian Parliament passed Act in 1958 >> >> * * >> >> * * >> >> Dear friends, >> >> >> Perhaps you are aware that the hunger fast of Irom Sharmila Chanu has >> crossed 10 years, with a demand for repeal of AFSPA (Armed Forces Special >> Powers Act, 1958. She has been force fed through her nose by the Government, >> arrested with charges for attempt to commit suicide, criminalised as a high >> security prisoner, denying her access to family, friends, supporters and the >> media. It is a shame that in this land of Gandhi, a non-violent protester >> has been subjected to such humiliation for more than ten years. Globally, in >> the history of non-violent resistance, this struggle is unmatched in >> terms of its resilence and sustaining power. >> >> The draconian act of AFSPA has been implemented in North eastern states of >> India since 1958 and in Jammu and Kashmir since 1991. It was on May 22, >> 1958, that the AFSPA was promulgated in the north east as an ordinance. This >> law is more draconian than its predecessor ordinance used by the British to >> suppress the Quit India Movement. It gave extraordinary powers to >> members of the armed forces, to arrest without warrant and shoot to kill on >> the basis of suspicion; and no legal action can be taken up against the >> armed forces without prior sanction from the Centre. After a brief >> discussion, the Parliament endorsed the ordinance an Act on August 18, 1958, >> despite stiff resistance from various qurters who challenged it as a martial >> law. Needless to say, that with the pretension of controlling insurgence, >> this Act has only intensified the insurgency in the region and legitimised >> thousands of gross human rights violations like rape, torture, murder and >> “disappearances” of innocent people in the north east. The democratic >> movements in the north east have consistently demanded the repeal of the Act >> for decades. In solidarity, we, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties >> (PUCL) hereby call to all democratic forums, human rights groups and >> people’s movements to initiate various public protest actions from May 22 to >> August 18, demanding immediate repeal of AFSPA, in solidarity with Irom >> Sharmila. >> >> >> >> AFSPA is not only opposed by the civil society groups but also by the >> Government’s own commissions and committees appointed to look into the >> matter. For example, the Committee to Review the Armed Forces Special Powers >> Act, headed by Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy in 2005, the Administrative >> Reforms Commission headed by Dr. Veerappan Moily in 2007 and several others >> have recommended its repeal. Internationally, the UN bodies including >> the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the U N High >> Commissioner for Human Rights and recently the UN Special Rapporteur on >> Human Rights Defenders have consistently urged for its repeal. However, all >> these went to the deaf ears of the Government. >> >> We hereby strongly condemn the use of our tax payers’ money for the >> militarisation of the civic spaces within the country. We recognise that if >> the struggle of Irom Sharmila fails, it will be a failure of the entire >> democratic movements in this country as well as a deep scar on Indian >> democracy for generations. Therefore, in the wake of the 54th year of >> imposition of AFSPA, we appeal to all human rights groups, social and >> political activist groups, people’s movements and NGOs to initiate the >> following public protest actions demanding the repeal of AFSPA in solidarity >> with Irom Sharmila, during May 22 to August 18, 2011: >> >> 1. Public protests, dharnas, relay hunger fasts in your area >> >> 2. Organise public meetings and seminars on AFSPA and Irom Sharmila >> demanding the repeal of AFSPA >> >> 3. Organise performances of the one woman play `Le mashale’ on Irom >> Sharmila by Ojas S.V. >> >> 4. Organise painting exhibitions on Irom Sharmila. The exhibition >> can be downloaded from: >> http://www.e-pao.net/epGallery.asp?id=1&src=AFSPA_Related/Neogene201102 >> >> 5. Organise film screening programmes on AFSPA and Irom Sharmila. >> Copies of the video films are available from: email: [email protected] >> phone: 011-26517814 >> >> 6. Initiate public signature campaigns and send them to the Prime >> Minister, the Defence Minister, the Law Minster, the Home Minister and the >> National Human Rights Commission >> >> 7. Initiate statements by well known writers, intellectuals, film >> personalities, theatre people, musicians and other artists >> >> 8. Any other form of action that you may find appropriate to >> strengthen the democracy of this country >> >> We request you to publicise your action through the internet and mass >> media and send the reports of your actions to: [email protected] >> >> >> Yours Sincerely, >> >> >> *Pushkar Raj* (General Secretary), *People’s Union of Civil Liberties >> (PUCL)* >> >> **09810656100, "pushkar raj" <[email protected]>, >> >> >> You can also contact Babloo of Human Rights Alert Manipur for the latest >> situation on Manipur: "Babloo Loitongbam" <[email protected]>, >> 09862008838 >> >> >> you can also contact the following for more information and coordination >> >> >> *Kavita Srivastava *: 09351562965, 0141-2594131 [email protected], >> [email protected] >> >> >> *V Suresh,* 09444231497 : "suresh v" <[email protected]>, >> >> >> *Chittranjan Singh*: 09415249770: "Chitaranjan Singh" < >> [email protected]>, >> >> >> *Mahipal Singh:* 09312206414 "Mahi Pal Singh" <[email protected] >> >, >> >> Organisations are requested to issue the appeal further so that there can >> be a widespread involvement of other campaigns and individuals. >> -- >> Kavita Srivastava >> (General Secretary) PUCL Rajasthan >> >> Address for correspondence : >> >> 76, Shanti Niketan Colony, Kisan Marg, Barkat Nagar, Jaipur-302015 >> Tel. 0141-2594131 >> mobile: 9351562965 >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "RTFC-Expanded-Steering-group" group. >> To post to this group, send email to >> [email protected] >> >> >> >> -- >> Kavita Srivastava >> (General Secretary) PUCL Rajasthan >> >> Address for correspondence : >> >> 76, Shanti Niketan Colony, Kisan Marg, Barkat Nagar, Jaipur-302015 >> Tel. 0141-2594131 >> mobile: 9351562965 >> > > > > -- > Kavita Srivastava > (General Secretary) PUCL Rajasthan > > Address for correspondence : > > 76, Shanti Niketan Colony, Kisan Marg, Barkat Nagar, Jaipur-302015 > Tel. 0141-2594131 > mobile: 9351562965 > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "humanrights movement" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > . > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en. > -- SUNDARA BABU NAGAPPAN -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en.
