Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 30 2010:
The silent protest being launched by president of International Mothers' Association (IMA), Khuman Leima in pursuance of the demand for repealing Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 completed 47 days today.
She began her campaign from Rajghat, New Delhi on March 15,2010 .
Since the launch of her campaign, the 80-year old woman activist has not spoken a word and has been taking only one meal a day.
Presently, Khuman Leima is continuing her protest from the building of Bamon Kampu Women's Welfare Association but has planned to spread it out to other States like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Jammu & Kashmir.
Khuman Leima launched her silent protect in the morning of March 15 .
However, after the Delhi police imposed restriction, she shifted her protest venue to Jantar Mantar.
There too, the Delhi Police dismantled her makeshift shed on March 18 .
After submitting memorandum to the President of India, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister in connection with her demand, Khuman Leima returned to Imphal to resume her agitation at the Meira Shangs of Brahmapur Shangai Chuthek and Khurai Lamlong Bazar one after another.
Addressing a press conference in connection with her silent demonstration at Manipur Press Club here today, Khuman Leima distributed a written note among the mediapersons.
In the written note, Khuman Leima made it clear that she would continue with her agitation until the imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 is removed.
She also sought the support and the blessing of the people to the cause.
It may be noted here that Irom Chanu Sharmila has been on a fast unto death agitation over the same demand for over nine years now.
The Jeevan Reddy Commission in 2005, the Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Virappan Moily in 2007 and the Working Group on Confidence Building Measures in Jammu & Kashmir in 2007 have recommended to the Government of India for repealing Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958.However, the Government is yet to act on these recommendations.