[Assam] Credit to Amnesty International for taking this JUST campaign to remove the AFSPA(Assam&Manipur) 1958, a SHAME on the word democracy. More voices would be appreciated to help hasten the process.

[Bartta Bistar]

 News



*AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL*

http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=ENGASA200162006

*Public Statement*

AI Index: ASA 20/016/2006 (Public)
News Service No: 179
10 July 2006


*India**: Time to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act*

Amnesty International is seriously concerned that, two years after
widespread protests against India's Armed Forces Special Powers Act (1958)
(AFSPA), the Government of India is yet to repeal this controversial law.

Exactly two years ago, 32-year-old Thangjam Manorama Devi of India's
north-eastern state of Manipur was sexually assaulted and extra-judicially
executed, allegedly by soldiers from the Assam Rifles Regiment. These
shocking events sparked widespread demonstrations in Manipur against the
APSPA and its effects.

The 48-year-old AFSPA, which grants special impunity powers to India's
security forces, has long been in force in a number of areas affected by
armed insurgencies, including the north-eastern states of Manipur, Assam and
Nagaland, as well as Jammu and Kashmir.

Amnesty International has continuing concerns about the AFPSA and related
breaches of international standards. The organisation detailed these in a
2005 Briefing.*

Following the protests in Manipur, the Government of India constituted a
five-member panel led by former chairperson of the Law Commission, Justice
B. P. Jeevan Reddy, to review the AFSPA's provisions. This panel submitted
its report in June last year and its members were unanimous in their key
recommendation - the repeal of AFSPA.

However, the Government of India is yet to act on this panel recommendation.
It is also yet to make public an inquiry commission's report into the
alleged extra-judicial execution of Manorama Devi, despite a Guwahati high
court directive.

Amnesty International fully supports the recommendation to repeal the AFSPA
and notes, with concern, the recent statement by India's defence minister
Pranab Mukherjee that the Indian security forces would not be able to
function without the AFSPA.

The organization continues to call for swift repeal of the AFSPA.

*India: Briefing on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (ASA
20/0135/2005). *
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200252005?open&of=ENG-IND*<http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200252005?open&of=ENG-IND>
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