[Assam] From the Sentinel

[Ram Sarangapani]

>Unless I missed it, there was not a voice of democracy waving Assam Netters
to be heard >in support of Sharmila's lonely struggles,

C'da,

You are correct. The Sentinel article, also says that she is virtually alone
in her protest and it is surprising, that there is no one, be it India
lovers or India baiters.

But there has been a lot of lip service - specially from the media. But
thats about it.

--Ram


On 10/11/06, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
>  Another surprisingly good editorial from the Sentinel.
>
>
> Unless I missed it, there was not a voice of democracy waving Assam
> Netters to be heard in support of Sharmila's lonely struggles, when it was
> aired a few days ago in this forum.
>
>
> Some 'democratic' values, these. Be it Indian, be it Assam Netters'!
>
>
>
>
> cm
>
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>
> Inbuilt Brutality
>
>
> The hunger strike campaign of Irom Sharmila in New Delhi to protest
> against the continuance of two discriminatory Draconian laws in some of the
> northeastern States comes much too late in the day.* However, that is not
> the worst of it. What is indeed a pity is that this just campaign of protest
> should have been taken up by just one woman in the national capital instead
> of being a concerted and ceaseless campaign by the people of all the
> northeastern States*.* Nay, it should have been a national campaign of the
> people of all the States as an act of solidarity with the people of the
> Northeast. But when has anyone seen the entire nation rising in protest
> against a gross injustice against the northeastern States?* However, the
> voice of protest has been strong in Manipur even though Manipuris constitute
> a very tiny part of the Indian nation. One recalls the several powerful
> demonstrations against the armed forces in Manipur, culminating in the one
> where a dozen Manipuri women protested naked in front of the Assam Rifles
> headquarters after the gang-rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama in the
> custody of the Assam Rifles.
>  The two Draconian laws against which Sharmila is demonstrating in New
> Delhi are the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and the Disturbed Areas Act.
> Armed with these two laws for Asom, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura, the armed
> forces have the power (in these four States) to shoot down just anybody even
> on mere suspicion. These two laws empower even a noncommissioned officer to
> shoot down any citizen of these four States on suspicion of anti-national or
> terrorist activities. There is no provision like a magistrate having to be
> present even somewhere in the vicinity. And it is such Draconian and inhuman
> provisions for a democracy that have led to countless fake encounters with
> so-called insurgents. The normal protocol for these four States is that the
> armed forces shoot down someone on mere suspicion first, and then plant the
> necessary incriminating evidence like an AK-47 rifle, a Chinese pistol, hand
> grenades and "incriminating documents" on him thereafter. Likewise, the
> armed forces can gang-rape and then murder a woman and later claim that she
> was a terrorist. This is one blatant act of injustice involving no less than
> human life that is attracting more and more people towards insurgency. These
> two laws go a long way in taking away the responsibility of accountability
> from the armed forces. And even when this is done in respect of the armed
> forces vis-à-vis citizens in a democracy,* it is like wilfully turning
> that democracy into a banana republic.*
>  What is amusing about the review of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act
> is that the Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee constituted to review the
> controversial Act has recommended that the legislation be repealed, but only
> after incorporation of certain features into the Unlawful Activities
> (Prevention) Act.* This is like having another law with the features of
> the black law to be repealed so that the overweening powers given to the
> armed forces in the four States of the Northeast as also in Jammu & Kashmir
> continue to be available to the military.* This is like passing on to the
> left hand what we do not like to see in the right hand. Not surprisingly,
> this suggestion of the Reddy Committee has raised the hackles of all the
> civil rights groups in Manipur, though one does not see very much of a
> reaction in the other States where the two black laws are in force as well.
> If it is the duty of the Centre to protect citizens of every Indian State
> from external aggression and internal disturbance (responsibilities that the
> Centre has failed to discharge), it is equally the responsibility of the
> Centre to put an end to state terrorism and needless brutality with an iron
> hand.There are many more disturbed areas in the country. Why are such
> Draconian laws reserved only for some States?
>
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>
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