New Delhi, Oct 13 : Civil society groups and other representatives from the Northeast today demanded the government to completely repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), saying it was a "blot" on the Indian democracy.
"AFSPA is a blot on India''s democracy," Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network (MWGSN) founder Binalaxmi Nepram said in a conclave held here as an initiative for peace in Northeast.
"More than 50,000 people have died and 30 lakh youth in northeast are unemployed," she said.
Noted rights activist Irom Sharmila has been on an indefinite hunger strike on the issue for nearly 11 years now.
"We want the AFSPA to be repealed. We want it to go from Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir. Media has put a lot of emphasis on Irom as a person and not the issue that she fights for," Independent columnist and writer Subir Ghosh pointed out.
"Military defines the situation in Northeast as extraordinary. But how can you have an extraordinary situation for 50 years. How do you define ordinary then?" Professor Akoijam Bimol of JNU remarked.
No other part in India or South Asia has been subjected to such a prolonged violent struggle hampering development as in the Northeast, Prof Bimol claimed.
Highlighting the problems faced in the northeastern region, Prof Bimol pointed out that apart from human rights problems in the states, there is a lack of electricity, infrastructure and development.
"Power cut in Delhi for a few hours created a hue and cry. For the past 10 years, people in Manipur have been surviving on 5-6 hours of electricity everyday," he added.
The two-day conference on ''Working together for a Vision for Peace in Northeast India'' organised by Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network (MWGSN) and Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI) aims at discussing issues plaguing the northeast and finding probable solutions to them.
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