IMPHAL, January 3: Demands for repeal Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1985 continued in the state with a public meeting being held today at the Community Hall, Kwakta, Bishnupur district organized by the United Community Development Platform.
Several victims of the Act spoke during the meeting, opening up on the difficulties that they had to face on a daily basis. One woman speaking at the gathering recounted how her husband was killed by alleging him to be a militant.
After his death, her family has to faced many difficulties, she said. “The incident has not only left a big void in our family’s life including that of my children but I have been living in perpetual fear about what would be the fate of my children without the love and affection of their father,” she said.
Another woman said, at that in the present context, there is a need for a united effort in order to repeal the Act. “There should be a united force between both the hills and the valley of the state in the demand for the repeal of AFSPA, only then can the people of the state expect to get the desired result,” she added.
As in other public gatherings on the issue, today’s meeting also demanded for the repeal of AFSPA, 1958 at the earliest as per the recommendation of the Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission (2005) and 2nd Administrative Reformed Commission of India (2007).
The public meeting also urged upon the government of India to start “a political dialogue with the armed organizations for long term sustainable peace and political settlement in Manipur”.
The meeting was also attended by social workers Md Nur Rahman, Md Abdul Mallib, Moulabi Mv Abibur Rahman and Md Soukat Ali among others.