Tuesday 26 July 2016

PRESS RELEASE: A WELCOME MOVE BY IROM SHARMILA: SSSC

A WELCOME MOVE BY IROM SHARMILA: SSSC 

New Delhi, 27 July 2016

Save sharmila Solidarity Campaign welcomes decision of Irom Sharmila to break her fast in coming days. SSSC believes that it is a befitting reply to Government's ignorance of her sixteen years of fast where an extra ordinary example of non violent appeal was made with the govt with demand to repeal AFSPA, but government not only ignored it and even tried to suppress it through lodging criminal cases against Sharmila.
 
SSSC knows about how Sharmila always told that she is just a common person without having any desire to be remembered as hero or to idolise her, but support and love of people recognised her for her extra ordinary struggle. This extra ordinary struggle also shows that how any common person with his/her commitment towards people's welfare , can pave the way of future. 

This time, there is a strong need to believe that coming in mainstream life will break the prison walls for irom sharmila and she would be able to live a life along with her contribution in struggle of people with all her capacity. What she are leaving behind will always be in history books of human rights and non violence. 

SSSC observes that by this move to announce breaking her fast shows that proof of failure of elected government of state and centre who never tried to meet her and to work on her demand. For a country like India, fast of Irom Sharmila was already a highlighted one and was seen as shameful for government and now when it is clear that government has not even moved an inch on this issue, Sharmila's decision to leave the struggle kept the blame upon government.  

Struggle of repealing AFSPA is struggle of people and must be fought by people together. Non violence should be the way and utilising democratic resources may be proved efficient in the struggle. 

As after breaking her fast, she would be free from criminal charges legally and SSSC is hopeful that she would be allowed to exercise her right of movement, SSSC would be honoured to invite her in Delhi for her first public lecture after consultation with her.  An all India delegation of SSSC would soon visit her in coming month. 

SSSC believes and demands that AFSPA must be repealed soon from all areas of North East and J&K. Save Sharmila Campaign will continue its struggle till Repeal of AFSPA from all areas. 

Ravi Nitesh
Convener
Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign 
Contact: +91-9958907799 ; ravinitesh@gmail.com 


Ram Mohan Rai (Haryana), Zaheeb Ajmal (Bihar), Md. Tanveer (Karnataka), Jaychandran Ramchandran (Kerla), Devika (Delhi), Gufran Khan (U.P.), , Arvind Lodi (M.P.), Subhojit (West Bengal), Guddi Behen (Maharashtra), Deepak Joshi (Assam) and other members from J&K and North East states  


--
Regards,
 
Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign
(A joint initiative of various organizations & movements)
Facebook: Groups/savesharmilacampaign

 
We welcome your participation/suggestion/feedbacks. 

Wednesday 13 July 2016

PRESS RELEASE ‘APEX COURT DECISION: A PARTIAL VICTORY OF DEMOCRATIC STRUGGLE’ - SSSC

PRESS RELEASE

'APEX COURT DECISION: A PARTIAL VICTORY OF DEMOCRATIC STRUGGLE' -  SSSC

New Delhi HQ

With the recent decision (interim judgment) of Supreme Court of India in the case of EEVFAM (Extra Judicial Killing Victim Families Association of Manipur) as petitioner 1 and Human Rights Alert as petitioner2 Vs Union of India, a strong signal has been sent by the Hon'ble Court about 'Equality before Law' and 'No one is above law'. It also strengthens the trust of people in the various forms of democratic struggle.

Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC) welcomes the wordings of the hon'ble court and believe that this will be seen as 'standard'  by the government and presently deployed security forces in various disturb areas of north east and elsewhere. SSSC also see that despite the long (and often unsuccessful) struggle of various organizations, victims and human rights practitioners in various cases, the spirit of struggle through peaceful and democratic ways has brought such a ray of hope that not only relevant with the case filed (of 1528 extra judicial killings) but also with so many other cases (reported and unreported) and stories as such judgments bring a sense of understanding and it builds trust of common people in pillars of democracy.

SSSC also see that how this decision  should also be read in contrast with the decision of Garo Hills where court has insisted 'to impose AFSPA' on Garo Hills as remedial measure. Here in decision of Supreme Court, it is very well quoted that deployment of army cannot be for indefinite time.

SSSC welcomes thoughtful words of Hon'ble court about the worry for kin of victims if they are entitled to have any rights other than receipt of monetary compensation. Quoting about 'Right to Truth' from 62nd session of Human Rights Commission by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, court observes that it is well associated in this case of extra judicial killings, and by this way, the apex court seems to have international standards on human rights issues that also gives positive signals for Indian democracy.   

With the list of 1528 cases of alleged extra judicial killings, 62 among them have been elaborated with all details and 10 among them have been specifically referred to court as eye witnesses for them were also available. It was also appealed with the court that FIRs were not registered by police despite several complaints against armed forces. It is truly appealed in the petition that even Human Rights Commission in Manipur is non operational.

SSSC welcome that court has taken cognizance and cleared much of ambiguities through its interim decision. SSSC see it as partial victory of people who are struggling for human rights and democracy in peaceful ways in North East. SSSC believe that a widespread coverage of this judgment also reflects about how non violent ways actually brings the real change in democratic process that not only affect those who are doing struggle but also set a precedent for future.  

'We also believe that in its final decision , court will ask for SIT (Special Investigation Team) for all these cases to get investigated and to make sure punishment for those who were involved in extra judicial killings. We see that Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Defence must also welcome it and this decision may pave the way for Govt of India to review and revoke AFSPA as well as to start giving sanctions for prosecuting security personal under civilian laws in case of complaints filed against them. '

SSSC takes it inspiration from all such peaceful efforts and also appeal Government of India to initiate meaningful dialogue with Irom Sharmila,who is in 16th year of her hunger protest and has adopted peaceful mean of struggle but that is largely ignored by government.

SSSC is writing to all political parties to extend support for Irom Sharmila and to ask government to take steps in this regard. SSSC also initiating next phase of its campaign to repeal AFSPA. 


S/d
Ravi Nitesh
Convener- Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign 

Ram Mohan Rai (Haryana), Zaheeb Ajmal (Bihar), Md. Tanveer (Karnataka), Jaychandran Ramchandran (Kerla), Devika (Delhi), Gufran Khan (U.P.), , Arvind Lodi (M.P.), Guddi Behen (Maharashtra), Deepak Joshi (Assam) and other members from J&K and North East states  



--
Regards,
 
Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign
(A joint initiative of various organizations & movements)
E-mail:savesharmila@gmail.com        Facebook: Groups/savesharmilacampaign

We welcome your participation/suggestion/feedbacks.