IMPHAL, Jul 25: The 100 days countdown towards the completion of 10 years of hunger strike launched by Irom Chanu Sharmila demanding the repeal of AFSPA, 1958 kicked off today in a function organized by Just Peace Foundation at Manipur Press Club, Majorkhul, in Imphal.

The inauguration programme was attended by social activist Aram Pamei, film maker Aribam Shyam Sharma, president of Senior Citizens' Society Manipur, Ningthoujam Binoy, president of Manipur Sahitya Parishad, Prof. N. Tombi, president of All Manipur Christian Organization, Rev. S. Prim Vaiphei and president of Irabot Foundation, Thounaojam Iboyaima as the presidium members.

The main theme of the 100 days countdown is to show solidarity to Irom Chanu Sharmila who has been on hunger strike demanding the repeal of AFSPA, 1958 since the Malom massacre of November 2, 2000.

Sharmila will be completing 10 years of hunger strike demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958. Her movement has been acclaimed as a struggle of an extraordinary woman withstanding the test of time, exemplifying her fight against the state, by her supporters.

She began her protest after the Malom massacre where 10 civilians were gunned down by the armed forces on November 2, 2000.
 
AFSPA provides special powers to arrest, detain and even kill civilians on suspicion. The power to search and destroy properties on mere suspicion is granted to the armed forces of the union in the disturbed areas of the North-East and also in Kashmir. Many forced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, torture, rape and arbitrary detention have been routinely alleged in the areas under the operation of AFSPA.

When the law was introduced in the Parliament In 1958 the Union Home minister said the Act would be in operation for only six months, but somehow it has lasted for more than 52 years now.

Many protests have been carried out by the people of Manipur to register their protest against AFSPA in the past including naked protest by mothers, self immolation by a student leader, mass demonstration, petition to the Supreme Court, and complaints to the United Nations. Other protests have taken place in some other parts of the North East and  Jammu and Kashmir. Some civil society groups and political parties within India have also protested against the law.

AFSPA is believed to be untenable to universal human rights standards and international humanitarian laws by many and in 1997, the UN Human Rights Committee stated that by imposing AFSPA, the Government of India is using emergency powers without resorting to the procedures laid down in International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights.

In 2007, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination urged the government of India to repeal the Act within a year and during her visit to India in March 2009, the High Commissioner for Human Rights had also urged the Government of India to repeal the Act. Lately, demand for repeal of AFSPA was also raised in the European Parliament on June 14, 2010.

A Government of India committee to review the Armed Forces Special Powers Act set up by the Union Home ministry headed by Justice Jeevan Reddy, former judge of the Supreme Court, the Administrative Reforms Commission, headed by present law minister, V. Moily and the working group on confidence building measures in Jammu and Kashmir led by the Vice-President, Hamid Ansari have also recommended repeal of AFSPA.

 Since the last winter session of the Parliament, an Armed Forces Special Powers Amendment Bill has been listed in the Parliament, but the text of the bill is not known as yet. The Indian Army Chief has also stated on July 19, 2010 that he has no objection to the repeal of AFSPA if certain conditions are fulfilled.

Supporters of Sharmila, who has become a sort of icon of the protest against the Act, have claimed that she is being treated as a criminal, charged for attempting to commit suicide and even though the May 18 Foundation of Korea has awarded her the prestigious Gwangju Prize for Human Rights in 2007, the Government of India has continued her detention in isolation as high security prisoner for almost a decade now.

The Just Peace Foundation (JPF) in collaboration with the civil society in Manipur is celebrating Sharmila's indomitable spirit and her deep yearning for peace, the foundation has said.

A series of cultural programmes, literary and artistic activities, public meetings, public rallies and poster campaigns will mark the countdown which will culminate in a festival from November 2 to 6, 2010.

The Just Peace Foundation has sought full cooperation and participation of the people of the state to make the occasion a grand success.