Our Correspondent
IMPHAL, NOVEMBER 5
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]anipur’s Human rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila’s indefinite fast enters 15th year on Wednesday. She is in fast to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 from Manipur.
To support her struggle, many social organizations based in Manipur today staged sit in demonstration at different parts of the state.
Noted activists Binayak Sen who is the national Vice-President of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties and Lenin Raghuvanshi also joined in one of the sit in demonstration held at Palace Gate in Imphal.
She started her fast on this day in November 2000 after ten people were shot dead in Malom near Imphal. The 10 civilians were allegedly killed by the 8 Assam Rifles.“The peace and development will come once the AFSPA is removed as imposition of the act helps in increasing number of armed groups,” says Raghuvanshi who won Gwangju human rights award along with Sharmila in 2007. “I see peace in Imphal assembly segments after removing the act.”
AFSPA was removed from seven assembly constituencies in Imphal following widespread public outcry after the killing of Thangjam Manorama by security forces in July 2004.
AFSPA which covers large parts of northeastern India and Kashmir, gives security forces sweeping powers to search, enter property and shoot-on-sight and is seen by critics as cover for human rights abuses.
The Sharmila Kanba Lup also staged sit in at their JNIMS gathering site in Imphal while Film Forum Manipur, the common platform of the film personalities of the state staged a similar sit in front of their office in Imphal to support Sharmila’s struggle.
