Join us at 6 pm in front of Albert Hall Museum, 22nd May, 2011 for demanding repeal of AFSPA
Richa Sharma
REPEAL THE DRACONIAN
Armed Forces Special Powers Act
STOP THE CRUSHING OF DEMOCRACTIC RIGHTS IN
NORTH EAST AND KASHMIR
LET US ASLO LIGHT A TORCH FOR IROM SHARMILA'S STRUGGLE
AND DEMAND THE REPEAL OF AFSPA
Join us at 6 pm in front of Albert Hall Museum,
22nd May, 2011
The Torch Rally will go upto Badi Chaupar.
Since the last fifty four years Independent India has had a law in the North East states and Kashmir called the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. It gives extraordinary powers to members of the armed forces, to arrest without warrant and shoot to kill on the basis of suspicion; and no legal action can be taken up against the armed forces without prior sanction from the Centre. On this day today the 22nd of May 1958 Indian Government, promulgated an ordinance, much worse than its predecessor used by the British to crush the Quit India Movement and the Naga rebellion in the North East. On the 18th August, this draconian law got the stamp of the Indian Parliament.
In the pretext of controlling insurgency, this Act in free India has only intensified the insurgency in these regions and legitimized thousands of gross human rights violations like rape, torture, murder and “disappearances” of innocent people in the North East and J& K.
Various movements in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir and human rights groups across the country have consistently for the last several years have been demanding the repeal of AFSPA as it is anti constitutional. One protest demanding the act's repeal that has stood out for the last ten years has been the fast of Irom Sharmila of Manipur, who has refused to eat anything. She is in an Imphal hospital under arrest by the Manipur Government and also forced fed by tubes.
This act has been opposed by the Government’s own commissions and committees appointed to look into the matter. The Committee to Review the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, headed by Justice B. P. Jeevan Reddy in 2005, the Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Dr. Veerappa Moily in 2007 and several others have recommended its repeal. Internationally, UN bodies including the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the U N High Commissioner for Human Rights and recently the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders have urged for its repeal.
If we have to save Indian Democracy then from all over India we must support the voices of the Irom Sharmila, the millions of people of the North East and Kashmir and put pressure on the Government of India that a law like AFSPA has no place in the Indian democratic system.
On the 22nd May 2011 let us in Jaipur join hands with fellow citizens all over the country and stand up against AFSPA. DO join us at 6 pm outside the Albert Hall Museum, Ram Niwas Marg and light a torch for Irom Sharmila and the people of the North East and Kashmir to express our solidarity with their struggle. We will take out a march to Badi Chaupar.
you may contact pappu :
2594131, 93151562965,
Shyam: 7737757778 & 9352908580
Regards
Richa
Pravah Jaipur Initiatve
0141-4030356