Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal
New Delhi, November 21 2009:
The Control Arms Foundation of India today released Landmine Monitor 2009 report findings at its office in New Delhi.
Followed by a panel discussion on '10 years of Mine Ban Treaty and why India hasn't signed ?', Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Thokchom Meinya, who was the chief guest of the day released the report.
Speakers of the function include Medha Bisht, a landmine researcher at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis, Delhi, Iftikar Gilani, the Bureau Chief of The Kashmir Times, Maj ( retd) Virendra Kumar, Lt General (retd) Dr BS Malik, strongly emphasised upon the need of the civil society initiatives in sensitization and awareness raising of the issue of landmine in India.
The role of the civil society from pressurizing the Government to sign the Treaty to victim rehabilitation.
Dr Thokchom Meinya in his address mentioned that amendment of the AFSPA 1958 by Justice Reddy committee will be ready in the near future.
Further adding that the common categorization or connotation of the North East States and Jammu and Kashmir as 'special category' even by the Government of India should be done away with.
Presenting the report findings and the process of the campaign of the Mine Ban Treaty since 1999, where 156 countries have signed today, Binalakshmi Nepram, Secretary General of Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI ) and one of key member of Landmine monitoring campaign in India informed that the case of four children admitted in the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal was registered as a case of a mere bomb blast victim.
The Control Arms Foundation of India is lobbying with the Indian Parliamentarians for signing the Treaty.