Magsaysay Award winner and social activist Sandeep Pandey on Wednesday rued continued imposition of 'draconian' Armed Forces Special Powers Act and other 'black laws' in conflict-ridden north-east India and Jammu and Kashmir.
Talking to the media in Guwahati, Pandey observed that continued heavy presence of the military in these two regions had alienated the people further rather than help solving the problem.
Instead of banking heavily on the military to find a solution to continued trouble, the government of India should focus more on dialogue with insurgent groups taking local people into confidence to find a political solution to the problem.
"It is now being done with militant groups in J&K and Pakistan and with the Naga rebel group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) in Nagaland. Similar dialogue should be started with all other insurgent groups in the north-east," he said.
"Incidents of violence and extortions are not only confined to north-east and J&K, but is happening everywhere, including states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. But the government of India hasn't imposed AFSPA and other black laws in any parts of the state except north-east and J&K as if people from these two parts of the country are aliens and must be controlled through harsh laws. The government should treat the north-east and J&K at par with other parts of the country," the noted social activist said.
He wondered why the government had failed to respond to recommendations by two of its own commissions -- Veerappa Moily Administrative Reforms Committee and Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission -- for repeal of AFSPA that had led to gross violation of human rights by security forces in the conflict-ridden region.
Pandey saluted the guts shown by Manipuri lady Irom Sharmila for her continued lone battle against imposition of AFSPA in the north-east and Myanmar's undisputed leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi for her fight against suppression of democracy.
"Irom Sharmila has been on fast since December 2002 in protest against continued imposition of AFSPA, but not a single official from the government has gone to meet her over the years to give her assurance that the government is taking note of her protests The protest of Sharmila represents the most ideal form of peaceful struggle for a democratic demand. Her victory is essential for strengthening of democracy in India and for the respect of human rights around the world," he said.
Pandey will be one of the group of social and human rights activists who are going on a solidarity fast for three days from Thursday outside Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Imphal, Manipur, in support of Irom Sharmilla. The fasting iron lady is being kept by the government in the hospital under observation of doctors.
Pandey said people all over the world en masse stand behind Irom Sharmila of Imphal and Aung Sang Suu Kyi of Myanmar, who has been kept under house arrest by the Junta in Myanmar since May 2003, for their exemplary fight against violation of human rights and protection of democratic values.
