NFIW to intensify anti-AFSPA drive
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 13 2011: The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) has vowed to intensify and spread all over India the ongoing campaign against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here today, NFIW president Aruna Roy remarked that AFSPA contradicts the basic principle of democracy.

The military Act challenges the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution to its citizens.

Since the last 4/5 years, NFIW has been campaigning and mobilising people against AFSPA in different parts of India.

The federation has also been extending unstinted support to Irom Chanu Sharmila's crusade for the last 11 years.

More and more Indian people including small villages have become aware of Sharmila and her crusade.

In direct proportion to the rising popularity of Sharmila, more and more citizens of the country have realised the draconian and undemocratic contents and structure of AFSPA, stated Aruna Roy.

However, the Government of India has been adamantly refusing to abolish the Act.

An extensive and massive campaign covering the length and breadth of the country is needed to ensure that the infamous Act is scrapped for good.

Keeping this in mind, the NFIW would carry on mobilisation campaign against AFSPA all over India and the federation would exert relentless pressure upon the Government of India until AFSPA is abolished, she vowed.

Noting that Irom Sharmila is an iconic woman activist, NFIW general secretary Annie Raja said that the federation is deeply concerned with AFSPA.

People cutting across all differences need to struggle collectively against the unconstitutional Act which the Government of India has been imposing in Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir and some other parts of India.

The anti-AFSPA campaign needs mass support, she asserted.

When media pointed out that many national leaders and eminent personalities came to Manipur and extended solidarity to Sharmila's cause in the last few years but AFSPA remains like it was when it was first enacted, and when asked if NFIW has formulated any new strategy, Aruna Roy said that their strategy is mobilising of people against AFSPA and exerting relentless pressure upon the Government.

The women activists who came to Imphal to attend the commemorative function of Nupi Lan organised by the All Manipur Nupi Marup alleged that the Government could not fully implement the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

They asserted that job-card holders could not given job for 100 days in a year in spite of the fact that was guaranteed by the same Act.

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