thanks Sundara, Yes that is a major oversight. Will definitely include it. will send the revised note.
Kavita On Thu, May 12, 2011 at 2:41 PM, SUNDARA BABU <[email protected]> wrote: > 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] or 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. > -- 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.
