Tag: SAKAL

SAKAL questions govt`s commitment to repeal AFSPA

IMPHAL, June 3: Sharmila Kanba Lup (SAKAL) staged a protest demonstration against the failure of the State government to repeal the draconian Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA), 1958 today.

SAKAL member shouting slogans demanding repeal of AFSPA.

SAKAL member shouting slogans demanding repeal of AFSPA.

IMPHAL, June 3: Sharmila Kanba Lup (SAKAL) staged a protest demonstration against the failure of the State government to repeal the draconian Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA), 1958 today.

The demonstration was held at the temporary shed of the organization located at Porompat, Imphal East today.

Speaking to newspersons on the sidelines of the protest, convenor of SAKAL S Momon Leima reiterated that the controversial AFSPA had been lifted from the State of Tripura recently taking into account of the suffering and violation meted out to its indigenous community under the cover of the act.

She lamented that the same act has not been lifted from Manipur despite mass public outcry over the demand for repeal of the act from the state at the earliest.

The state government should follow the suit adopted by Tripura to repeal the draconian act as it will be too late to wait call of the Central Government to do the needful, she observed.

Ima Momon said that it was a glory for the Tripura that the draconian AFSPA was lifted from its soil.

There had been many incidents of picking up of youths, murder and disappearance of innocents by security forces in the name of counter insurgency. Also, many innocent people have been victimized by levelling anti-national charge, the convenor of SAKAL pointed out.

She continued asking that whether the 60 MLAs including Chief Minister O Ibobi should remain mute spectators to the atrocities committed by security forces under the shade of AFSPA.

Pledging that SAKAL along with public will launch different forms of intense agitation if the government remains silent over the collective demand for repeal of AFSPA; she cautioned that any untoward incident arises thereof should be borne solely by the government.

During the protest demonstration, members of SAKAL shouted slogans in connection with repeal of AFSPA from the state at the earliest.

Mention may be made that AFSPA was promulgated in the state of Tripura since February 16, 1997. The demand for withdrawal of such act persuaded at various levels at which the Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar remarked that `We could not take a decision because the security forces did not clear it`. He was saying this on the announcement day of lifting AFSPA from Tripura on May 27, 2015.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/06/sakal-questions-govts-commitment-to-repeal-afspa/

SAKAL demands probe into circumstances of rudely violent re-arrest of Sharmila

IMPHAL, August 29: Sharmila Kanba Lup (SAKAL) today took out a mass rally condemning the inhuman treatment meted out against Irom chanu Sharmila during her arrest. SAKAL also submitted a

IMPHAL, August 29: Sharmila Kanba Lup (SAKAL) today took out a mass rally condemning the inhuman treatment meted out against Irom chanu Sharmila during her arrest.

SAKAL also submitted a memorandum to the State Chief Minister demanding a judicial investigation into the circumstances of police brutality during Sharmila’s re-arrest and to immediately release her.

Several volunteers and members of the lup gathered in front of its temporary tent at Porompat and took out a rally under the banner ‘Protest rally against inhuman treatment of Sharmila.’

As the protestors were moving towards the Chief Minister’s bungalow, state security forces interrupted them at the Ananda Singh Higher Secondary traffic roundabout.

Following a brief argument with the protestors, the police allowed only the leaders of SAKAL to proceed further and submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister.

The SAKAL leaders Ima Nganbi, Ima Momon, Ima Ranami, Ima Sakhi were escorted in a police vehicle till the Chief Minister’s bungalow.

The memorandum signed by co-convenor Soiam Momonleima said SAKAL was established with the sole mission to save Sharmila and to intensify the struggle demanding repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958.

It said Irom chanu Sharmila is in a fragile condition as she has continued on with the fast for the past 13 years, nevertheless she has continued with her peaceful hunger strike demanding repeal of the draconian act.

However, a team of security forces led by SP Imphal East and the additional SP along with women personnel violently dragged Sharmila from her protest site, and in the violent fracas, Sharmila broke her right toe nail and her clothes were ripped, it maintained.

In the memorandum, the women protestors said those of them who were present inside the temporary tent when the incident occurred heard the SP shout at the police personnel to drag Sharmila out.

It further said that Sharmila was taken to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science JNIMS by the Porompat Police and was given medical attention.

Later she was shifted to a special ward of the hospital under police custody as she was re-arrested under IPC 309, for the charge of attempt to commit suicide.

SAKAL has further claimed in its memorandum that the police had not served any arrest memo or reason for the arrest.

The memorandum also claimed that the SP denied any statement on the issue claiming that he was only acting under orders from his higher authorities.

SAKAL strongly condemned the brutal act of the Manipur police and further seek repeal of AFSPA and the immediate release of Sharmila.

It has also demanding a judicial investigation in the circumstances of “her abduction.”

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/08/sakal-demands-probe-into-circumstances-of-rudely-violent-re-arrest-of-sharmila/