Pune students to kick off signature campaign in colleges, hold seminars and candlelight marches to build support for Manipur Iron Lady's 11-year campaign for repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act. After their massive show of support for anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare during his recent indefinite hunger strike for the Jan Lokpal bill, students in the city are gearing up for one more big campaign for another activist known for taking on the government using the Gandhian means of fasting.
The nationwide signature campaign started from October 2, which is Gandhi Jayanti, and will culminate in Delhi on December 10, Human Rights Day. "We will collect signatures and hand these over to President Pratibha Patil on December 10. We have also demanded the repeal of other draconian laws like the UAPA, MCOCA, and CSPSA," said Mukta Shrivastava, an activist. "We want to resist the increasing curtailment of democratic spaces."
Veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare is likely to travel to Manipur to personally urge rights activist Irom Sharmila to end her 10-year-old hunger strike.
Irom Sharmila, known as the Iron Lady of Manipur for being on a hunger strike for 11 years to press for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), has so impressed students here that they have set their minds on building a groundswell of support for her in the city. Towards this end, student groups from various colleges in the city along with activists of the National Alliance for People's Movement (NAPM) and other NGOs have decided to start a signature campaign. Starting from this week, volunteers will visit colleges to encourage youth across the city to participate in the movement 'Irom Sharmila Solidarity Campaign'. Their aim is to collect thousands of signatures and organise seminars and candlelight marches for the next couple of weeks to raise awareness on the AFSPA.
The activists say the government should immediately work out and announce a phased, time-bound demilitarisation plan to withdraw the army and other paramilitary forces from internal security duties in the Northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir. They have also asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to visit Sharmila and Manipur to give take note of the human rights violation in the region and take appropriate action.
Irom Sharmila finds support in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad: As visitors trouped in at Sabarmati Ashram on Sunday, October 2, a small table stationed at the entrance generated interest of many. "In solidarity with Sharmila", said a white banner behind the table encouraging a signature campaign in support of Irom Sharmila .
As Sharmila continues to struggle for peace and justice, her supporters in the city felt that Gandhi Ashram and October 2 (Gandhiji's birthday) was the ideal occasion to kickstart a signature campaign to hold up her cause. The endeavour was organised by Janpath who received more than 500 signatures in her support. The campaign will continue till October 10.Hyderabad Manipuri Society appeals for support to Sharmila
The Hyderabad Manipuri Society in association with the National Alliance of People’s Movement, Andhra Pradesh Chapter has launched a campaign on October 2, at the Ambedkar Statue, Tank Bund, Hyderabad as part of the nationwide “Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign” involving many organizations and people’s movements that is being launched across India at same time and date.
Delhi: In a highly significant move, which was pregnant with implications, youths from Manipur and civil society representatives, individuals and students marched to Jantar Mantar here on Gandhi Jayanti day calling yet again for repeal of the controversial AFSPA.Taking Gandhi "father of the Nation" as an epitome of peace and non-violence, the "Save Democracy " Repeal AFSPA campaign group chose the day as a symbolic beginning of a Nation wide call for an end to AFSPA in Manipur and other parts of North East and India.
A "Save Sharmila " signature campaign started from October 2 till December 10, another symbolic day which is International Human Rights Day.The group also called for support to the struggle of Irom Sharmila.Supporting the call for repeal of AFSPA and the non-violent struggle of Sharmila, Arvind Gaur , coordinator of ASMITA a theatre group based in Delhi told The Sangai Express that his group through cultural performance were creating awareness on the issue of AFSPA in North India.
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