SHILLONG: PBM Basaiawmoit, consultant of the North East Dialogue Forum, has urged the people of the state to support Irom Sharmila’s 15 years fasting to have the Armed Forces (Special Forces) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) repealed.
He said, “As a member of the NE forum, we want Sharmila’s struggle to be heard, there is no room for army law in a democracy, we have many laws in the statute books.”
“The common people want to do away with the Act but the Government says that the army wants it, it is not a problem for the Home Ministry” he added.
On the part of the Forum, they will mobilize public opinion and pressurized the Government to settle the dispute in Manipur.
He observed that many atrocities are being committed in the state in the absence of AFSPA, the scenario will change if the Act is invoked, implying that atrocities will increase.
Post Card campaign for repealing of AFSPA
Guwahati: The second Saraighat Film Festival, organised by North East Youth Foundation (NEYF) and supported by North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF), concluded in Guwahati on Monday.
Organised at Bosco Out Reach, Ulubari, total ten (10) films were screened, out of which nine (9) were in the competition fray. The tenth film was a photo real and was not considered for the competition category.
Organised since last year, SFF is also a humble effort of NEYF to express its solidarity with Irom Sharmila’s stand against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, who has been on a fast since November 2, 2000 urging the government to repeal the act, which a number of civil body organisations have termed as ‘draconian’.
The day began with a signature campaign initiated by NEYF. Titled as Repeal AFSPA for vibrant democracy, the signature campaign began from in front of Handique Girls’ College and continued at several places across the city.
“Sharmila herself is an woman and we felt that it would be good to begin the campaign from in front of a girls’ college. During the campaign we also found out that a number of youngsters today is unaware of Sharmila, AFSPA or her demand for repealing it,” Ranjan K Baruah, Convener of NEYF said while speaking at length about the Saraighat Film Festival and its signature campaign right before the start of the festival.
