AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Acts) the draconian Law was implemented in 1958 by the Central Government and its brutality has been experienced by our parents physically some 40-50 years back and it continues to haunt the present generation psyche to a large extent that paralyses the vision of us, and listening to the stories of our parents makes one fear and fill our heart with anger and hatred. Records has it all if one aspires to know more on how this Law functions and how it really did made a horrific attempt to inflict us. Looking at the records of our people at the mercy of the Jawans(s) under the shadow of the AFSPA one cannot think of keeping oneself shying away from the issue but stirs our soul to avenge in whatsoever possibly way it may be. Our mothers and sisters were raped inside the Church and in front of our father and brothers, our father and brothers were shot anywhere/anytime and were chased down like wild animals, Churches knocked down to dust, fields and barns burnt to ashes, villages burnt down, villagers grouped and re-grouped in different places just to get torture and harassment, children died due to hunger and thirst, properties worth crores were destroyed and the list goes on. We became refugees in our own land with nowhere to hide or seek help, we were counted as but animals by the armies. We lived a life of abject misery and all these were caused by the so called AFSPA under the pretext of flushing out unwanted elements functioning in the areas they operated with zero mercy even to the sick and old people.
We cannot hide and should not forget our history, our present generation may not experience it and many does not even know the history that our parents underwent and we may live peacefully without being bothered about the EXISTENCE of AFSPA but let us be reminded and be sure that we are still guided by it and we are still under the bondage of it though with lesser or no effect (as of now), but it does not mean that we are free of it rather we ought to be aware of it and make this time a platform to prepare ourself to fight against it (I am encouraging a violent fight, but from a proper approach) and let it revoke for eternity. One cannot expect it to be over/done from the government or different organizations alone but every individual has their own share to fight against it and the Churches cannot be passive on this. Being silence knowing the fact that something is not right itself is injustice, hence our Churches should not remain just a mere spectator on this crucial issue. Liberation theology was born in Latin America in 1960’s with the fact of peoples’ resistance to economic and political injustice, therefore it clearly indicates that Church responsibility is not just to win over the lost soul but to give human a dignity and wholeness of life. Thus, it necessitates for the government, organizations, Churches and every individuals to participate in the fight for our life, a life honoured living.
At a time when Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the central Government tries to instigate the AFSPA to further in NorthEast India (probably with hidden political and religious motives) and continues its horrific acts among our people, how can a right thinking citizen stay still and flow with the time as if nothing is happening? Our lukewarmish and lameness approach to this AFSPA may and will result a bitter and regrettable tomorrow. Every individual/church/organizations and government with a unified voice will make a difference in the lives of many. Let that voice be yours/me and us and say END to this draconian Law once and for all.
