Irom Chanu Sharmila, an Imphal-based poet, is now in her tenth year of an indefinite hunger strike demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Since November 4, 2000 when she began her fast, she has been detained, released and re-arrested innumerable times by the government and force-fed through nasal tubes, but has stood by her demand, steadfastly refusing to eat until the draconian Act is totally repealed.

The AFSPA is a single page legislation that empowers the central government to deploy armed forces in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, as well as Jammu & Kashmir, and empowers security officers to:-

• Shoot-to-kill anyone on mere suspicion
• Arrest anyone without warrant and detain for unaccountable periods of time
• Search and seize on anyone’s premises without warrant, and
• Grants immunity to Armed Personnel from Enquiry or Trial

The prolonged imposition of this Act in different parts of the country since 1958 has severely impacted the democratic rights of the peoples’ - contradicting Constitutional guarantees of Right to Life, Liberty, Freedom and Dignity. And resulting in gross civil and political rights’ violations including disappearances, extra-judicial execution, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, rape and other forms of sexual violence against women, arbitrary arrest and detention, and creating a culture of impunity among the security forces.

Many committees of the Government of India, including most recently, the Administrative Reforms Commission, headed by the present Union Minister for Law, Mr. Veerapan Moily have recommended repeal of AFSPA, yet the government shows no sign of relenting!

Not surprisingly, people from AFSPA-affected regions as well as democratic rights groups, women’s groups and others have continuously demanded the total repeal of AFSPA, while the State and security forces have constantly tried to silence them. Yet, Voices of Resistance like Irom Sharmila continue to inspire and give courage to struggle against all odds.

In a region profoundly impacted by militarisation and violence, Irom Sharmila is herself inspired by the non-violent Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi. Hence, the Just Peace Foundation and other civil society groups have initiated the “From Gandhi to Sharmila Campaign” in Manipur; a campaign that started on January 30, 2010, the 62nd anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, and will culminate on March 14, Sharmila’s 38th birthday.

Among the solidarity programmes in India and abroad, is the “Voices of Resistance” Against AFSPA event organised in Delhi by organisations and individuals who have been associated with the struggles against AFSPA for more than two decades.

Our purpose is to send a clear message that:-

• The Government of India must immediately repeal:
o  The Armed Forces (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura) Special Powers Act, 1958 (as amended in 1972), and
o  The Jammu and Kashmir Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1990


• The government must refrain from inserting any part of the AFSPA into any other legislation granting unbridled powers to the armed forces of the union or the State police.
• The government must immediately stop treating Irom Sharmila like a criminal, and allow her full rights due to every citizen in the country.

Join the ongoing campaigns for the repeal of AFSPA all over the country.

Support the struggles of people against increasing state violence in affected regions.

Resist increasing militarisation of democratic spaces.

Support Irom Sharmila in her struggle against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

NO MORE AFSPA! NOWHERE IN THE COUNTRY!

Organised and endorsed by:
Organisations> The Other Media, South Asia Forum For Human Rights, Saheli, Insaf, Intercultural Resources, Delhi Forum, Speak Out Salem, Sangat, Reachout, Progressive Students Union, National Alliance Of Peoples Movements, Kriti, Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Association, Jagori, India Action Network, Cinemela Collectives, CACIM, Asha Parivar, ANHAD, All India Students Association

Individuals: Manoranjan Mohanty, Vrinda Grover, Subrat Kumar Sahu, Nandini Rao, Ponni Arasu, Priya Thangarajah, Thingum Sanjeev and others

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This information is sent to e-pao.net by Kavita Joshi and may be contacted at kj.impulse[AT]gmail.com
This announcement was webcasted on March 13th, 2010.

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