Renewed cry for army act repeal

Imphal, Mar 5 : Manipur is set to witness another round of "intense" public agitation over reported rejection of the Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission report, which recommended repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act by the Union home ministry.

Human rights groups of Manipur today united against the home ministry's decision to reject the report of the commission, which was set up to review the act in the aftermath of public outrage triggered by the killing of Thangjam Manorama after alleged rape by the Assam Rifles personnel in July 2004.

The Reddy committee had submitted its report in June 2005, suggesting scrapping of the law as it was a "symbol of oppression". The Centre is yet to make the report public and act on it.

Reacting to a news report today, which quoted unnamed home ministry officials saying that the ministry recommended rejection of the report to the cabinet committee on security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, more than 13 rights groups of the state resolved to press for implementation of the panel's report.

The resolutions urged the home ministry to reconsider its decision.

The rights groups, which held a consultation today, decided to invite members of Parliament to visit Manipur to assess the ground situation arising out of the prolonged implementation of the army act and its impact on the lives of citizens.

The groups also resolved to launch a "series of agitation" demanding the scrapping of the army act.

"We condemn the home ministry decision and demand implementation of the Jeevan Reddy Commission's report," Babloo Loitongbam, executive director of Human Rights Alert Manipur, said.

The 147-page report recommends that "the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, should be repealed".

The committee in the report observed that "the act, for whatever reason, has become a symbol of oppression, an object of hate and an instrument of discrimination and high handedness".

U. Nobokishore, secretary of United NGO Mission, one of the organisers of today's consultation said the resolutions would be sent to the United Nations, Prime Minister, Union home minister, Rajnath Singh and other relevant authorities.

"The Centre should listen to the voice of the people and not take any decision on the act by taking only the opinion of the army," Nobokishore said.

Accusing the army and Assam Rifles personnel of raping women and killing people in the name of counter-insurgency operations, Nobokishore demanded that all individuals involved in rights abuse should be brought to book.

"Why is India not investigating cases of rape and enforced disappearance committed by central forces in Manipur? We demand a reply from Parliament why it is not taking up the issue of army act and its impact on lives of the people in the Northeast and Kashmir," he demanded.