Extension of AFSPA condemned

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, January 8: Condemning the extension of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in Assam, the Mab Adhikar Sangram Samity (MASS) said that the extension is a testament to the State’s “militarized” approach to the political issues underlying the NDFB(S) carge.

“While the renewal of AFSPA is a routine exercise undertaken in all states where it is enforced, the Act has been used to subvert the democratic aspirations of people and rights of individuals through an imposition of a culture of aggression and crimes committed by the army and paramilitary forces,” the organization said in a press release.

It said that draconian laws like AFSPA not only provide legal immunity to the armed forces but also override the jurisdiction of crimil courts.

“Instead of addressing the complex realities of these regions, the ectment and extension of laws like AFSPA transforms political demands into law and order problems, solved by military operations,” it said.

The MASS also strongly condemned the killings of Adivasis and urged the NDFB (S) leadership to take responsibility for its retaliatory and reprehensible actions.

According to a recent news report on the death toll, it is stated that of the 80 bodies found so far, more than 40 are those of children, women or men above 60 years.

Besides, the carge, like previous ones, has led to widespread interl displacement of the Adivasi population who fled their homes following the massacre.