Seminar on AFSPA (Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act) at Bangalore
- Date : : April 13, 2013 -
'Citizens for People's Security-Bangalore'
Invites you for a
South Indian Level Seminar, Journalists' meet
And public meeting
On
'Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act: Nation's, People's and Women's Security'
Date: April 13, 2013,
Time: 9:30 am to 6.00 pm
Venue: Indian Social Institute, Bangalore
10.00 a.m. Welcome: Dr M.K George, Director, Indian Social Institute
10.05 a.m. Context Setting: Dr Walter Fernandes, North Eastern Social Research Centre
10.30 a.m.
Panel 1.
Mr. Hormis Tharakan, former Advisor to Governor and Chief of RAW
Mr R N Ravi, Retd. Director of IB for the North East
Mr Babloo Loitongbam, Executive Director of Human Rights Alert, Manipur
Ms. Teresa Rehman, Journalist, Gauhati
Open Discussion
11.45 a.m.
Panel 2: Prof. Khalid Waseem,
Adv. Santanu, ALF , Bangalore
Dr. Chungi
Dr. Reni
Open Discussion
1.00 p.m. Lunch
2.00-2.30: State wise follow up planning / JOURNALISTS' MEETING
2.30-3.00: consolidation of Plans
3.30: Tea
4.00 – 5.30 p.m: Public Meeting
All are welcome!
Partners: OPENSPACE, ISI-B, UTC, SICHREM, NCCI, MITHRA FOUNDATION, ALF, St.Joseph's College, SCM, Vistaar and OTHER MEDIA.
RSVP: [email protected] , [email protected]
South India Seminar on
'Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958:
Nation's, People's and Women's Security'
From 9.00 a.m to 6.00 pm on April 13, 2013,
at Indian Social Institute, 24 Benson Road Benson Town, Bangalore
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is probably the single most direct instrument impacting the democratic rights of the Indian people. Passed in 1958 when the Naga movement had just begun, the Act is implemented when an area is declared 'disturbed' by either the central or the state government, under the Disturbed Areas Act, and when the Army is 'summoned' to help civil authorities control 'armed insurrection'.
The Act has been implemented in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and was later extended to Jammu and Kashmir. At present it is operative in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir. It is much debated today on several grounds, not only in Jammu & Kashmir and the North-east, but in the entire nation. Several government committees have repeatedly recommended the repeal of AFSPA. The Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee (2005), suggested AFSPA be repealed. In 2007, the Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Veerappa Moily (later law minister) also suggested the repeal of AFSPA. The government ignored both.
The Verma Committee (constituted to recommend amendments to the Criminal Law to provide for quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault against women) recommended drastic changes in AFSPA, especially in relation to trying military personnel for sexual assault under normal law. The Planning Commission in the 12th Five-year Plan document passed by the National Development Council has, for the first time, even asked for not only a gendered review of the Act, but also of gendered violence in 'Disturbed Areas'.
This South India Seminar on 'Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act: National, People's and Women's Security' has been envisaged in the context of rising violence, of the increasing normalisation of violence, especially gender and sexual violence, and institutionalisation of State violence.
It is hoped that debating and discussing these issues will strengthen the process of opposition to the negation of the rights of people, and enhance the democratisation of our people and our nation.
A word of confirmation will be appreciated.
'Citizens for People's Security'
RSVP: [email protected] , [email protected]
Partners: SCM, Vistaar, OPENSPACE, ISI-B, UTC, SICHREM, NCCI, MITHRA FOUNDATION, ALF, St.Joseph's College, THE OTHER MEDIA
* This information was sent by Babloo Loitongbam
This Post is webcasted on April 11, 2013.
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