Imphal, April 06 2010: Joining the hunger strike and showing solidarity to Manipur hunger striker Irom Sharmila who has been on a fast protest since 2000 demanding repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from Manipur, a team constituted from various rights organizations from different parts of India on Tuesday joined the agitation by expressing their views and analysis relating to the present scenario of Manipur in particular and the Northeast region in general.

Members of the team includes Sapta Kranti Vichar Yatra, Rashtra Seva Dal Yusuf Meheralli Yuva Biradari, Indian Solidarity Committee (INSOCO) for Freedom Democracy and Human Rights among others.

The team is being led by Dr Sunilam, founder president of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti and general secretary, INSOCO.

INSOCO stands to resist globalization, combat communalism, defend democracy, stop discrimination against the Northeast people, scrap AFSPA -1958, and stop trafficking of young girls among others as per their leaflet.

According to Dr.Sunilam, the team had covered 20,000 kms across 21 states of India and presently touring the Northeast region.

He observed that AFSPA has been imposed in the Northeast region to contain the insurgency problems but with not much satisfactory result.

He said that the government should understand the pulse of the people and work along with the peoples' sentiment.

"Central and state governments are taking much interest in Suspension of Operation (SoO) and fewer steps for the struggle of Sharmila to repeal AFSPA", said the rights actvist adding "It is not fair enough on the part of the government".

The team representatives are Advocate, Savita Shinde, (Maharashtra), Guddi (Maharashtra), PJ Josey (Kerela), Professor Ajay (Bihar), Sandip (Uttaranchal),Sanju (Orissa) among others.

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