Peaceful March for Save Democracy Repeal AFSPA on 2nd October, 2011 at Jantar Mantar
- 2nd October, 2011 -

Updated on September 29 2011:

Save Democracy Repeal AFSPA (group)
Savedemocracy(dot)repealafspa(at)gmail(dot)com
Press Release
Dated : 29th September, 2011
New Delhi

SAVE DEMOCRACY REPEAL AFSPA campaign group is organising a Peaceful March on 2nd October, 2011(Sunday) from 11.30pm to 3pm and signature campaign till 5pm. It is organized to support Irom Sharmila's 11 years fast and 53 years people's struggle against the undemocratic policy, AFSPA. Since this a campaign of a truly democratic kind i.e. of, for and by the people we expect your participation in all aspects of the campaigning process...

we are posting the tentative budget details for the upcoming 2nd October program...we have tried to minimize costs without losing out on the bare minimum arrangements required for carrying out the campaign conveniently for all attending...please read and we would request your help in any way you deem fit and convenient...

a contribution of even the smallest amount will go a long way for us and help us tremendously...please consider.... We are getting contributions from the people from 2 rs to onwards.

In the campaign, We have distributed more than 6000 pamphlets, 4000 printed Act of The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958.

Massive campaing is going in three Universities in Delhi, Jamia, JNU and DU.

Film screening program and discussion and play on AFSPA has been doing extensively in the Universities as part of the campain to creat awarness about the Act.

Some of the colleges we have been able to organise are, South Asian University ( dated : 13/sep/2011), Laxmibai College( 14/9/2011), Students of Guru Gobing Singh College of Commerce ( 15/9/2011), KMC Hostel( 22/9/2011),Hindu College( 24/9/11), Delhi college of Arts, south campus( 26/9/11) and JNU campuses.

For an expected crowd of around 1000:
Bus: 32,000 /= (@ 4000)
Sound: 2000/=
Banner: 3000 (@ 1000)
Pamphlet: 7,000/=
Poster: 4500/= (@500)
Mobilization process: 3000/=
Printed act: 3000/=
Placard: 2000/= (@500)
TOTAL: 56,500/=
Total collection till date: 9570/=
AMOUNT REQUIRED: 46,930/=

To transfer any contribution, please note the account nos.:
Sidra Anis,SBI, JNU branch, account no.:30856472965,
Suhela Kapoor, Axis Bank, Gurgaon, account no.:056010100497107
Seram Rojesh Kumar, State Bank Of India,DU Branch, account no : 030237855794

With regards
Sd/
Seram Rojesh
Beejurekha Samom
Suhela Kapoor

India claims to be the world's largest democracy. But the question remains, in what sense is democracy defined. What does this sacrosanct word 'democracy' mean? Modern society abides by the democratic values of liberty and equality. Infused with such democratic principles, India adopted the state of a democratic republic in 1950. However, the struggle for democracy has not reached its destination even today. Parts of the country are fighting against India's self-inflicted demon…a cancer gnawing slowly at the fabric of our very existence. There are economic inequalities, socio-political exclusions, decades of militarization in certain territories, etc. Such lingering issues force us to question and scrutinize the nature of India's democracy critically.

One of the Black Laws in modern history of democratic India is the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, a scar on DEMOCRACY. The Act is 'extraordinary' which empowers armed forces with total impunity. It is a re-invention of the Armed Forces Special Powers Ordinance disseminated by the British in 1942 (at the time of World War II) against the nationalist 'Quit India' Movement. Unlike any other extreme measures that have been imposed in India, it allows for direct military intervention in the 'internal' affairs of a state.

The Act empow¬ers a Com¬missioned or even a Non-Com¬missioned Officer (a jawan basically) of the Armed Forces to ar¬rest without warrant and to shoot-to-kill on the basis of mere suspicion and no persecution can be ini¬tiated. For more than five decades this Act has been operating in the North East Region and since 1990 in Jammu and Kashmir. Under this Act, several forms of human rights violations have been witnessed over the years, such as incidences of mass massacres, sodomy, involuntary disappearance, torture, rape or sexual harassment, illegal detention, unknown graves, etc. As a result of these atrocities, there has been a widespread protest of various kinds against this Act.

The AFSPA was presented as an instrument "in aid of civil power" (Section 3 of the Act) to "suppress" the "people who are racially different and suspecting the loyalty of the people to the country, India. It was said to be a "temporary measure". But it has completed five decades. It is targeting the whole population in the disturbed area and not particularly the so called insurgents or militants. In fact the numbers of insurgencies have been increasing day by day after the imposition of this act.

For the AFSPA to come into force, all that is required is that a territory (a state of the Indian Union, a centrally administered territory, or any part thereof) be described as 'disturbed'. Subsequent amendments to the Act have expanded the scope of the AFSPA to its application in any location, anywhere in India. This has led to its being invoked in Punjab in the 1980s, and in Kashmir, where it has been in operation from the early 1990s till today. Under the AFSPA, once an area is declared as "disturbed", the personnel of the armed forces simultaneously acquire powers to use "force as may be necessary", based on their "opinion" and "suspicion", to effect "arrest without warrant" or "fire upon or otherwise use force, even to causing death" (Section 4).

The tragic part, however, is that in case of Northeast India, even though the 1997 Supreme Court Judgment categorically insisted that the "disturbed condition" is not due to "armed rebellion" wherein the Act has been enforced or that the said "condition" does not constitute a threat to the "security of the nation", the military and the political class continue to maintain otherwise. Then, what is this AFSPA for? This act is a form of war on people.

The military character of the Act is reflected in more ways than one. To begin with, the AFSPA allows the "use of armed forces" defined as "military forces, the air forces operating as land forces" and "any other armed forces" of 'the Union' (Section 3) in within the nation, in domestic space. Section 2 (c) of the Act also clearly shows the close affinity between the AFSPA and those laws governing the military, such as the Army Act (1950). It reads, "…all other words and expressions used herein but not defined in the Air Force Act, 1950, or the Army Act 1950, shall have the meaning respectively assigned to them in those Acts".

The nature of these powers conferred upon the armed forces is quite in tune with the military paradigm and the business of war. For instance, unlike the assumption of innocence of an 'accused' or 'suspect' (until he or she is proved guilty) in normal criminal law, a significant measure that protects a citizen, the hostile intention of the inhabitants of the space that is rendered 'disturbed' by the simple fact of the declaration of the AFSPA is taken for granted by the military personnel.

Thus, the 'opinion' and 'suspicion' of the commanding officer of a military formation (commissioned, junior commissioned or even non-commissioned officer for that matter in the military) serves as the basis for exercising the powers to "fire upon or otherwise use force", which he thinks is 'necessary' within a few second in a "mere suspicion".

These powers can also be exercised for acts that "likely to be made" or even "about to (be) commit (ted)" (Section 4).Acts committed under the realm of this unstated declaration of war cannot be challenged by those who bear the brunt of the AFSPA. This becomes clear when we read in Section 6: "No prosecution, suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government in respect of anything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act"

We now, the present day youth have come together inspired by our motto "Save Democracy Repeal AFSPA"…a group that endeavors to carry forward the tradition of struggle begun by many for instating democracy in these affected states, to appease the turbulent situation, to rational out with the democratic institution established by our representatives in the parliament to ensure repealment of the Act and to release Irom Sharmila, who has been a major contender in the struggle against AFSPA.

This young woman witnessed the massacre of 10 innocent people by jawans of the army and decided that was it…she set out on way of struggle never heard of before, which turned out to be the world's longest hunger strike...since 2000, an 11 years long fast. Being held prisoner of the state and force-fed though a nasal tube Sharmila is a symbol of a relentless yet peaceful protest against a cruel law that denigrates humans to a state below even animal.

It's time to take action, to help her take her first sip of water and savor the goodness of food…to help put into place a system where every human being has the right to live, a life with dignity and freedom, free from any threat to his/her personal space…where fairness towards all is bolstered…where we look up to all the people and say NO to WAR on PEOPLE…Save DEMOCRACY…REPEAL AFSPA (a scar on Democracy).

Let's Join – The Peaceful March on 2nd October 2011, 11.30 am to 3pm and signature campaign till 5pm at Jantar Mantar.
Email : [email protected];
Organized by SAVE DEMOCRACY: REPEAL AFSPA (Group)