Delhi, July 9 (MExN): The North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) has welcomed the Supreme Court statement condemning the “large scale killings” in Manipur “in the guise of self defence while dealing with insurgency or militants” as unacceptable. The SC had ruled that if members of the armed forces are deployed and employed to kill citizens of the country on the mere allegation or suspicion that they are the ‘enemy’, not only the rule of law but also democracy would be in grave danger. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) gives soldiers of the Indian army sweeping powers to arrest, interrogate or even shoot to kill people in areas declared by the government as “disturbed.” “This law has been used by the army to use draconian measures against Indian people,” NEFIS maintained. According to a press statement by the Convenor of NEFIS, Chinglen Khumukcham, it believed that “by denying the right to rule of law, the Indian state has kept North-East people relegated to the status of second class citizenry in the country that claims itself to be the world’s largest democracy.” The NEFIS reiterated that “This ruling is a vindication of democratic movement against AFSPA.”
