After the brutal rape and murder Manorama Devi on July 11th, 2004, the whole Manipur has erupted in protest against brutalities and torture by the Army. All the sections of the people have come out in protests centred around demand for withdrawal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. This draconian measure legally equips the Armymen to commit atrocities without being accountable for their acts. Experiences of the people of the Northeast and also of J&K where a similar act is in operation, tell of unspeakable and inhuman treatment meted out by the Army in the name of suppressing the insurgency.

This Act has been in imposition over Manipur without a break since 8th September 1980. It gives wide-ranging powers to soldiers. Under the Act, a soldier can raid premises or arrest any person without any warrant and fire upon a person “if he is of the opinion that it is necessary to do so for maintenance of public order after giving such due warning as he may consider necessary.” From this it is clear that this Act given total power to soldiers over life and liberty over the people.

AFSPA provides legal immunity to the soldiers from any offence that they may commit. It provides: “No persecution, suit or other legal proceeding shall be instituted, except without the prior sanction of the Central Government, against any person in respect of anything done or purported to be done in exercise of the powers conferred by this Act.” Such sweeping powers and immunity is granted to soldiers, which is generally seen only in cases of foreign occupation.

Manorama Devi’s body was found in a forest 4 km from her village from where the personnel of Assam Rifles had taken her. Assam Rifles stated that she was killed in an encounter as she was a member of People’s Liberation Army of Manipur. However Assam Rifles left her body in the forest and did not even send her body for post-mortem, that was done after protests erupted. Assam Rifles and the Indian Govt. thinks it is enough to allege that the killed person belonged to a ‘banned organization’ for them to do with her/him as they like.

Protests in Manipur started immediately after. Students, women, youth, employees, workers, sportsmen, teachers, journalists, almost every section of the people came out in protest. The most shocking protest which jolted the democratic sections throughout the country and which was a product of the most barbaric tortures by the Army, was the protest on July 15 when leaders of established women’s organizations of Manipur walked naked behind a banner crying “Indian Army Rape Us.”

The response of the Indian Govt. has been to suppress the protests through brutal assaults, firing and lathicharges. A large number of people have died in the protests in firing by the Army. Torture of students, women and youth have scaled new depths. There is Abu Ghraib right in Manipur. Congress led UPA-CPM Govt. has ruled out withdrawal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Manipur, the main demand of the protesters. Govt. has not taken any worthwhile initiative to even stop atrocities on the people. All the ruling class parties including CPM, CPI are one in suppressing the democratic aspirations of the people of Northeast which is reflected in the consensus among them in supporting the Congress led Govt. in refusing to withdraw the AFSPA.

It is also noteworthy that the Govt. which is withdrawing POTA by not extending its operation is determined to continue Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act which is even more draconian in its provisions and operation. It only goes to show that it is not the commitment for democratic rights but electoral considerations which have prompted Congress led UPA-CPM Govt. to withdraw POTA.

Central Committee of Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) – New Democracy fully supports the ongoing struggle of the people of Manipur and demands that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act should be deleted from the statute book.

Meanwhile, NSA has been imposed over every leader of the Committee of Mass Organizations which is leading the movement against AFSPA. These include the women leaders who had held the 15th July demonstration, all the mass organizations’ leaders have been clapped into jail. CPI(ML) – New Democracy condemns use of NSA, demands its repeal and release of all arrested leaders.

CPI(ML) calls upon all progressive and democratic sections of the people and organizations to support the struggle of the people of  Manipur against the Army atrocities and tortures and for withdrawal of the Act. CPI(ML) also appeals to all democratic organizations and revolutionary forces to mobilize public opinion throughout the country for withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and for exposing the conduct of Indian Govt. in handling the popular struggle of the people of Manipur.

Party committees should take initiative to organize programmes in support of the struggle of people of Manipur wherever possible along with other revolutionary and democratic forces.