AAP, Cong...Who's Next?
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: March 15, 2014 -

Is it appropriate to give a "colour" to Irom Chanu Sharmila who has been on fast for more than 13 years for the repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 from the State? Will political influence be a catalyst for her campaign?

All these questions are now hovering around Sharmila and her anti-AFSPA campaign.

The Aam Aadmi Party's Lok Sabha ticket offer and Chief Minister Okram Ibobi's reported persuasion on her to join the Congress Party can be viewed as an attempt of these political parties to garner sympathy of the people of Manipur ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Sharmila is an icon and she lives in the hearts of so many people. The AAP might have seen a bright political prospect on Sharmila, probably after anti-graft activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal shook Delhi with his unexpected victory against Sheila Dixshit.

Jan Lok Pal was Kejriwal's cause and the AAP might have wanted to create similar spell in the State with AFSPA. Unfortunately, the "Iron Lady" has declined the AAP's offer to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha election, though she is somewhat "impressed" with Kejriwal's AAP which could form the Government in Delhi against all odds.

But, Ibobi's persuasion on her to join the Congress is quite startling. All these years, the State Government has remained indifferent to Sharmila's struggle.

The Congress offer might have come from the High Command and not just from the side of Manipur Chief Minister. So far, AAP and Congress have gone far ahead of their counterparts by making offers to Sharmila.

Many other parties might follow the suit in connection with the Lok Sabha election. The political part in Sharmila's campaign is just a distraction. People should be concerned with her and her campaign.

The "Prisoner of Conscience" has been on fast for more than 13 years. She was alone when she took up the cause for human rights soon after the gruesome Malom massacre 13 years ago.

The undying spirit made her even stronger with the passage of each glorious year.

Her struggle now takes a new Pan-India look with solidarity poured in from every nook and corner of the country.

The international organizations have also acknowledged her struggle and supported her in every possible way.

No doubt, everyone in the State and many people in other parts of the country are aware of the ''non-violent struggle" adopted by Irom Sharmila.

It sounds pleasing when a kindergartener recites "Irom Chanu Sharmila is the Iron Lady of Manipur".

The sweet voice should indeed be the words of encouragement towards the cause for human rights.

Truly, Sharmila has sacrificed her life for the people. Her 13 years' hunger strike is not something for the Guinness Record.

It is for the people to join hands to end human rights violation.

Now, people should rise up to repeal AFSPA and save Sharmila. All these years, AFSPA has been a debatable issue in the country.

The armed forces contended that this Act is a safeguard for them and they would be demoralized without it.

The question over this issue is the efficiency of security personnel equipped with such special powers.

Many people feel that the security men need special training and not special powers as evident from many cases of fake encounter in Northeast and J&K.

Insurgency is the main ground for imposition of such draconian law, but how far this issue has been tackled. It is true that human rights are violated by both state and non-state actors.

The common people are the targets and hence there is need for protection of their rights.

The Government is the guardian of the people and so it is their sole responsibility to devise a mechanism to end human rights violation. AFSPA as such is discriminatory and it should be scrapped at the earliest.

Protection of lives and properties of people must be ensured by the Government. Imposition of AFSPA based on few incidents of bomb blasts may be a silly policy of the Government.

As mentioned earlier, the security personnel must be given special training and not special powers. They have been using these powers for quite a long time. Their inefficiency has been proved.

Now, let them be given special training to secure people's lives and properties and their efficiency be tested. 13 years have passed. Another one year would not be welcoming.

AFSPA has been withdrawn from seven assembly segments under Imphal Municipal Council on trial basis by the State Government, then why not a trial for the rest of the State.

The Government must take Sharmila's struggle seriously and initiate the trial before another year gets added.