United States based Human Rights Watch- a leading NGO that conducts research and is an advocacy on human rights has asked India to abrogate the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) as it is the root cause of human rights violations.
“The AFSPA has been used to violate fundamental freedoms for 50 years and should be repealed,” said Human Rights Watch in its 16-page report released on Monday.
The report titled “Getting away with murder: 50 years of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act’’ describes how the AFSPA has become a tool of state abuse, oppression and discrimination.
The controversial law grants the military wide powers to arrest without warrant, shoot-to-kill, and destroy property in so-called “disturbed areas.”
“The Indian government’s responsibility to protect civilians from attacks by militants is no excuse for an abusive law like the AFSPA,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, senior South Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch.” The government should repeal the AFSPA now, she adds further.
Meanwhile, volunteers of the Manipur Students’ Association Delhi, MSAD on Monday organised a silent peaceful rally in front of the Parliament to protest against the completion of 50 years of imposition of the AFSPA invoked since 1958.
The global organisation urged the Indian government to follow its own principle when it repealed such a brutal Act- the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA)-just after Manmohan Singh led UPA government voted into power in 2004 in New Delhi. It also asked to repeal Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act (1990).
“The growth of militant groups under the 50-year application of the AFSPA is a proof in itself that countering armed insurgency with disregard for human rights is ineffective,” said the Human Rights Watch.
The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958
The AFSPA was enacted 50 years ago on August 18, 2008, as a short-term measure to allow deployment of the army against an armed separatist movement in northeastern states, particularly in Assam, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur.
An alternative law was also invoked in Punjab during a separatist movement during 1980s and 90s and is operational in Jammu and Kashmir since 1990.
Sharmila Irom, an activist in Manipur, has been constantly on hunger strike demanding repeal of the Act. She has been house arrested since 2000. The Supreme Court also issued guidelines to prevent human rights violations, but of no avail.
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