To
The Editor August 18, 2004
Indian Media


Dear Sir,

The recent comment of the Assam CM on the Independence Day that "if any responsible citizens or organisations will guarantee that there will be no extortion, kidnapping or killing in the areas where this Act (Armed forces special powers act) has been withdrawn, I will be able to tell the Centre to lift it from the entire state" is irresponsible, shameful and condemnable. Can the CM guarantee that there will be no human rights violation, misue, kidnapping, rape, extra-judicial killings by certain militants in Uniform (military) like the incident that took place a month ago and numerous other cases that havent come to light.

Can the chief minister of Assam who says that "we cannot compromise with the integrity of Manipur and India by repealing the Act" compromise with the rights of the citizens of India with such a law being in force that allows the Armed forces to detain any individual "suspected to be a terrorist" with impunity.

Draconina laws like the AFSPA and others like MISA, TADA, POTA, MCOC have been nothing but instruments of Human rights violation, tools for political vendetta.

When a law like TADA was in force for more than a decade approx 70,000 cases were registered under it with less than 1% rate of conviction and with POTA in the past 2 years an 80 yr old and 13 yr old have been booked under it for being 'terrorists'. Has the CM of Assam and the home ministry of Inida (which wants the act to stay) have at any time tabled the rate of conviction under this act and tallied it along with the rate of violation of this act?

The Armed forces (Assam and Manipur) special powers act, 1958 seems to have caused more terror in the hearts of the people than actual insurgency and its a shame that women have to come out naked to make their protest heard against this draconian act in the country. Acts like these are draconian and similar like those feudal laws that were meant to be used as tools for oppression of the people.

What we need is effective implementation of basic laws and not more draconian laws and as a wise quote says : "the more the laws, the more the offendors". Law is meant for smooth functioning of the society and not meant for outraging the dignity and rights of individuals like the AFPSA and other draconian laws like TADA, POTA, MISA have done.

RONALD L. REBELLO
(Human rights activist) – INDIA

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