Repeal Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958.

This is a picture of a 39 years old lady by the name Irom Sharmila. She has been fasting, ( without food and water) since November 4, 2000. Her demand is that the Government of India  withdraw Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, (AFSPA) from Manipur and the neighbouring north eastern states.

But what is AFSPA? 

AFSPA was first introduced in the "Naga inhabited areas" of Assam and Manipur in 1958 to tackle the Nagas who were, and are, demanding independence. Since then it has been extended to other states of the north east and Jammu & Kashmir. The Act gave power even to a non-commissioned officer of the Indian army to fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death, against any person who is acting or is suspected of acting in contravention of any law...  in areas declared as 'disturbed'; and the official responsible for such death is granted legal immunity and cannot be prosecuted. Countless number of people have been subjected to gross violation of human rights under the Act and the officials who committed such atrocities never ever faced trial. Amnesty International has criticized the Act, but till date it is  still in place.

For many years I have endorsed the Act. My logic was that if the Act is lifted, the extremists will take over and the territory of the Indian Union will shrink. I believe that is still the position of the Government and so the Act still remains. My view on the subject began to shift after I picked up writings on Human Rights. I began to ask myself if it is morally right to violate human rights to protect part of a territory that a state claims as its own.Or putting it differently, is it morally right for mainstream Indians to violate human rights of the north eastern people to retain the latter's territory as part of India? So the question that I began to ask  myself  was whether protecting the state's territory is more important or protecting human rights is more important. 

If I worship Bharat Mata (Mother India) protecting her territory would be part of my expression of my allegiance to her. But I don't worship Bharat Mata. Rather I worship Jesus Christ, through whom all human beings are created and who allows states to be formed to protect human lives and bring about common good of all. Therefore I cannot endorse people of certain regions violating human rights of other regions to protect the interest of the former. Or putting in differently, I am of the view that human rights  of certain people trumps the interest of the state to protect its territory. Human rights of the citizens cannot be subservient to the interest of the state!

Even in an instance when the state's agent violates human rights the agent has to be brought to the court of law. AFSPA being imposed in a region for over 50 years as a state's policy, and 'guilty officials' never being brought before to the court to face trial of human rights violation is something I cannot endorse. I used to think Irom Sharmila was subverting the interest of the Indian Union; and I still do think she is. But  now I believe she is doing so because of her greater concern for human rights. I won't be surprised if she says, "It is not that I do not love India, it is just that I love humanity more". And though I am late to realise, I  would say Sharmila has got things in right perspective. With her I say "repeal AFSPA"!