Assam: MASS launches protest against AFSPA

Manab Adhikar Sangram Samity, an Assam-based human rights body has intensified its movement demanding repeal of the 'draconian' Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 alleging that it has caused immense suffering for innocent civilians in the region at the hands of security forces.

The Act provides sweeping powers to security forces deployed in insurgency-hit Northeast, including Assam

MASS activists on Tuesday staged a sit in demonstration in Guwahati, demanding immediate repeal of the AFSPA. MASS also demanded withdrawal of Assam Disturbed Area Act, which is said to be as 'draconian' as the AFSPA. MASS agitators also submitted a memorandum to Governor of Assam J B Patnaik in this regard.

The MASS campaign against AFSPA will be boon to Manipur's 'Iron Lady', unique 11-year-long hunger strike, which has been going on since November, 2000, demanding repeal of the same.

Thirt-seven-year-old Sharmla started the fast unto death after she was devastated by mindless killing of 10 innocent villagers by troops of Assam Rifles at Malom village near Imphal on November 2, 2000. 

She was subsequently arrested on charges of attempting to commit suicide and has been kept under confinement and has been forced-fed under police custody in a high-security ward in Imphal's J L Nehru Hospital.

Her unique protests have been continuously backed by a large number of civil society groups in Imphal, including the influential Apunba Lup.

Besides the demands for repeal of the AFSPA and the Assam Disturbed Area Act, the MASS demands charter also included immediate action from the government to stop handover of 'Assam's land' to Bangladesh as per the India-Bangla pact signed on September 6, during Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka.

MASS also demanded an immediate stop to construction of Mega dams in the ecologically and seismologically fragile region to protect the people from a possible 'catastrophic' downstream impact of dams.

The organisation further called for protecting Assam land from unabated encroachment by the neighbouring states and threatened to launch intensive agitation in case the government failed to respond to their demands.