Irom Chanu Sharmila
On completing her 12 years of fast, the office bearers of the organization have expressed their solidarity with the ‘Iron Lady of Manipur’ Irom Chanu Sharmila. Notably, Sharmila, a civil rights activist, began her hunger strike after the death of ten people in an alleged encounter with the Assam Rifles at Malom in Imphal valley on November 2, 2000.
In a statement, party’s political secretary Kanwar Pal Singh and secretary for human rights Pritpal Singh has asked the government of India to end the culture of impunity and repeal the AFSPA from Kashmir and north-eastern states. “The government of the day must realize the pain and woes of the aggrieved families that have borne the brunt of AFSPA that provides impunity to security forces from prosecution for human rights violations”.
They urged the Indian civil society to break their silence in the case of Chanu Sharmila – a frail but determined lady that has been sitting on fast for 12-years.
Expressing their deep concern over the killings of Muslim Rohingyas in Burma, they urged Aung San Suu Kyi not to remain silent. Suu Kyi, the person with genuine moral authority must speak out in Rohingyas defence condemning their senseless killings by members of Rakhine majority, said they. They also appeal to foreign powers to use their influence on Myanmar junta to put to an end to this ethnic cleansing.