PRESS STATEMENT
We, on behalf of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace(CNDP), heartily welcome the Tripura government’s decision to lift the notorious Armed Forces Special Powers Act(AFSPA) which has been used for providing impunity for the armed forces in the Jammu & Kashmir and the North-Eastern states. The brutally violent instances of murder and rape of innocent civilians in these regions of India since the 1950s remain a blot over the self-proclaimed world’s largest democracy. The continued existence of the AFSPA has only fuelled more violence and militarism.
The CPI-M govt in Tripura and its Chief Minister Mr. Manik Sarkar must be congratulated for this pro-people decision. The state governments in other states of the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir must revoke the AFSPA at the earliest.
This is also an occasion for us to reaffirm our solidarity with Manipur’s Irom Sharmila whose hunger strike against the AFSPA has entered the 15th year. She would come to New Delhi next month for the court hearing. We appeal to the larger democratic sections of the Indian society to stand with her and demand scrapping of the AFSPA.
For CNDP
Achin Vanaik
Praful Bidwai
Lalita Ramdas
Abey George
Kumar Sundaram
Anil Chaudhury
