Irom Sharmila supporters protest HC order on AFSPA

A day after the Meghalaya High Court asked the Centre to impose the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the Garo Hills to deal with the law and order situation, supporters of Manipur’s ‘Iron Lady’ Irom Sharmila Chanu have protested against it.

Sharmila, a human rights activist, has been on a hunger strike since 2000 seeking the repeal of AFSPA from Manipur.

The support group of Sharmila—Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC)—has asked the people of Garo Hills to come forward and appeal against the HC order.

Ravi Nitesh, convenor of the SSSC, said in a press statement that they have appealed to the high court to ask Meghalaya to take responsibilities in more serious ways and tell the state government to deploy more security personnel and to resolve the issue through all possible ways.

“On the other hand, we also appeal that even if the situation seems to be out of control, paramilitary forces should be the first choice instead of having full deployment of the Army under an act like AFSPA,” he said.

Court’s stand

“This court, as the protector of civil liberties of citizens, cannot remain a mute spectator and shy away from its constitutional obligation to protect the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. We have no option but to direct the central government to consider the use of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, in the Garo Hills area and deployment of armed and para-military forces to control the situation,” the full bench of the HC comprising Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh and judges T Nandakumar Singh and S R Sen, mentioned in their order on Tuesday.

The HC’s move came in the wake of the sensational abduction of young Intelligence Bureau officer Bikash Kumar Singh and trader Kamal Saha last month. Bodies of both were found last week.

Cases of abductions have increased rampantly in Garo Hills. In the last 10 months, the militants have abducted 90 people for ransom.