UNM-M places AFSPA issue to President
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 13 2013 : Ahead of the scheduled visit of President Pranab Mukherjee to Manipur on April 15, the United NGOs Mission Manipur (UNM-M) today dispatched a memoran-dum to the President.

The me- morandum contained a charter of demands, the foremost being scrapping of AFSPA in order enable democracy thrive on the soil of India.

Establishment of 20 Special Investigation Teams to investigate all the 1528 cases of extra judicial killings and rape together with initiating legal measures to ensure justice to the victim families by awarding appropriate punishment to the perpetrators wi- thin a period of one year was another demand.

The third point of the me-morandum was putting an end to systematic violence and discrimination against women and children particularly rape, murder and trafficking, and punishment of all the culprits without undue delay.

Constitution of an independent commission for ini- tiating political dialogue with armed political organisations for conflict resolution in Ma-nipur was another demand listed in the memorandum.

It also urged to hold discussion and debates on the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement in the Parliament and State Assemblies.

People or parties committing such crimes as drug traf- ficking, collection of illegal taxes, extortion, kidnapping and human trafficking should be awarded stringent punishment.

Political settlement of Ma-nipur State with its own po- lice and self-determination for political, economic, social and cultural rights and withdrawal of all central forces except those of the border control and protection was another prominent demand.

No mini or mega dams should be constructed nor natural gas and minerals should be explored in Manipur without consent of the people.

Informing that Manipur Human Rights Commission has ceased functioning since May 9, 2010, the UNM-M urged the President to revive the commission immediately.

Formulation of a policy for livelihood, heath and education assistance to surviving widows and children of the victims of extra judicial executions was another point of the charter of demands.

It demanded the President to prohibit implementation of REDD, REDD+ and CDM Project in the North East under Climate Change Negotiation.

Speaking to media persons after dispatching the memorandum at Manipur Press Club, UNM-M secretary U Nobokishore reminded that the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee constituted in the aftermath of the rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama in 2004 recommended to replace AFSPA with a more humane law.

Again, the Justice Verma Committee recommended to repeal AFSPA.

In the meantime, the enquiry constituted at the instance of the Supreme Court has already reported that all the six cases it probed were clear cases of fake encounters, Nobokishore reminded.

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