NEDF urges Primes Minister to repeal AFSPA

‘It is to remind all the people living in a democratic country like India that in the Universal Periodic Review of India by the United Nation in 2012, 80s countries in the world have supported to repeal AFSPA from India. Are these counties anti-National?’

Imphal, May 28: North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) drew the attention of the Prime Minister of India to respect and implement the recommendation made by Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission report (2005), Justice Shantosh Hedge Report (2013), Justice Verma Commission report (2013), and Administrative Reformed Commission report and several other recommendations made by many agencies in India to repeal AFSPA.
A statement of the forum quoted the Amnesty International’s statement on AFSPA which says – “AFSPA is Undeclared Emergency with Undefined Reasons for Unlimited period of Time”( 1997) and and also reminded the Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission Report (2005) which stated that “AFSPA become a Symbol of Oppression, an object of hate and instrument of discrimination and high handedness” which all the people need to understand and digest it properly.
The statement of NEDF further said that The High Commissioner of UN Human Rights Council, Mrs. Pillay strongly urged the Government of India to repeal such colonial law like AFSPA from India. AFSPA is outdated law, as she said. The Professor Christof Hans, the Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial Summary or Arbitrary Execution professionally had challenged the Government of India for not repealing AFSPA. Ms. Rashida Manjoo, the former UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women made her strong remarks that there is a evidence of mass rape by the Indian armed forces in the north eastern region. It is very important for the people to note that the AFSPA fundamentally violate the Art. 14 (Equality before the law/ in the case of Indrajit Barua 1980), Art. 21 ( Right to Life) and Art. 22 (Arrest and detention) of the Indian Constitution.
Stating that 78 schools, colleges and University in Manipur are located inside the army camps and others are located very close as 0 miter distance from schools and colleges the NEDF statement stated that the Indian Armed Forces are not respecting the political commitment of India at the level of UN. Report about Lt Col Ajay Chaudhary who was caught huge illegal drug few years ago and about Col. Jasjit Singh of 39 Assam Rifle who was arrested along with 8 of his man for smuggling gold in Mizoram on May 5, 2016 was also mentioned to highlight the present attitude of the armed forces.
The NEDF also stated that the forum acknowledge and appreciate the courage and political commitment of BJP and CPI (M) to lift AFSPA, 1958 from the state Tripura in 2015. The NEDF also thank the Government in Manipur for lifting the AFSPA from the 7 constituency in Imphal and appreciate the political courage of the Govt. of India for not placing AFSPA, 1958 in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and other areas which are affected by the armed conflict in India.