TUR opposes AFSPA in Garo Hills

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG, Nov 8: Another group in Meghalaya has come out against imposition of AFSPA in the Garo Hills region of the State. The Thma U Rangli (TUR), a people’s group, today said, “Calling in the armed forces will only further fuel the misuse of funds and corruption in the me of fighting militancy.” According to TUR, while people have suffered human rights abuses from both state and non state actors in the protracted militancy in Garo Hills, calling in the army will only further heighten such abuses seen in states such as Manipur, galand,  Kashmir where through AFSPA people have been made to suffer even more violence and human rights abuses. According to TUR, AFSPA has been in operation in Manipur since 1956 and rather than contain militancy it has exacerbated it. The TUR also recalled that the Law Commission in its report suggested that AFSPA needs to be reviewed and the Justice Verma Committee that was set up post-Nirbhaya rape case also examined AFSPA and called for its repeal as it gave the armed forces immunity to rape and kill.