We, the participants in this Convention organised by the Manipur Student Association of Delhi (MSAD), note that:

1. The entire people of the state of Manipur-women and men, youth and students, towns people as well as village people- have demonstrated in no uncertain terms their determination to ensure the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958.
2. The brutal killings of Pastor Zamkholet Khongsai and Th. Manorama by the Indian Armed Forces which have been the trigger for the present round of mass resistance in Manipur are no isolated instances of Army brutality. There have been innumerable acts of rights violations, as well as deliberate cold blooded atrocities perpetrated on the civilian population in the whole period since the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was introduced in some areas of Manipur in 1958. This has been the tragic story of the state since the AFSPA was promulgated in the whole state of Manipur in 1980 right until today. The people of Manipur have been turned into second class citizens in their own homeland. Using the AFSPA as cover, the army has carried out numerous massacres, torching and raping and plundering of entire villages, and all other brutalities normally associated with a colonial marauding armed force.
3. The people of Manipur, as well as the people of Nagaland and other regions of the North East feel alienated not only from the army, but also from the rest of India as a result of the fascist repression unleashed against them.
4. The demonstration by militant women of the Meira Paibi in front of the Headquarters of the 17 Assam Rifles in Kangla fort daring the Indian Army to rape them has shocked the conscience of all democratic minded people of India, cutting across ideological, political, religious and regional barriers.
5. The protests of young students who are returning their schoolbooks, of nurses, doctors and teachers, of the faculty of Manipur University led by the Vice Chancellor, of journalists, of MLA's and MP's, and of the ordinary masses of youth have brought to the conscience of India that there is a very serious problem in Manipur and our sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters in Manipur are appealing to us-where are you?
6. The cynicism with which the armed forces have attacked the peaceful protestors right in front of the media, reveals the brutalisation of our armed force as a result of the permanent occupation of Manipur and other parts of the North East for decades.
7. The threat of the Union Home Minister to the Manipur Chief Minister and Government that either they suppress the popular movement or the centre will suppress it, and the refusal of a government that has declared that it will repeal POTA to even discuss in parliament the situation in Manipur and what the MP's feel about the AFSPA is leading to further alienation of the people of Manipur.
8. The arrest of hundreds of protestors, women and students and youth, the arrests of leaders of agitating mass organisations under the National Security Act, and the ban on various organisations that are leading the present agitation.
9. The Central and the State governments are putting restriction and ban on print and electronic media which are truthfully reporting the happenings in Manipur, while presenting a distorted picture through its own media all across the country. This is an attack on freedom of speech and expression. By doing so, the central and state governments are depriving the people of rest of India of the information on the Manipuri peoples struggle and promoting division between various people through a systematic disinformation campaign. This disinformation campaign should be immediately stopped, which is aimed at spreading enmity and suspicion amongst different people of India.
10. The logic advanced by a retired Army General in an editorial in a leading newspaper blaming politicians for the problem in Manipur, but justifying the AFSPA, only deals with one aspect of the problem. He suggests political solutions to political problems, and blames central and state politicians of all breeds for the alienation in Manipur. He suggests that Army should be used only for short periods in internal problems. However, he defends the AFSPA. The crux of the problem is that the Army should never be used to deal with internal problems. The issue is not for how long and how short a period. Political and social problems cannot be converted to "law and order" problems, as is the wont of our political class. The AFSPA should be repealed as well as the Disturbed Areas Act, both of which are part of the colonial legacy of British rule over India.
11. The Central government as well as various political parties talks of "insurgency" threatening the "national unity and territorial integrity" of India. They justify Disturbed Areas Act as well as the AFSPA as necessary to counter "insurgency". They justify the counter -"insurgency" measures adopted by the armed forces and the Indian Intelligence. Evidence documented by independent human rights groups confirm that these counter - "insurgency" measure include, as an integral part of the arsenal, the following - 1. Mass rape of women and girls to terrorise the population 2. Burning, looting of villages as well as so called "collective fines and collective punishment." 3. Spreading of disaffection amongst the population by setting up counter "insurgency" militant groups in various communities. Such groups are usually recruited from "surrendered" militants, coerced or bribed into being informers as well as set up to organise inter community violence to justify the continuation of army rule. It is known that the Indian Army received training in counter "insurgency" from the US during the days of the Vietnam War.
12. Despite Army Rule and counter "insurgency", the threat to the "unity and territorial integrity of India" has if anything become a permanent problem which all governments in Delhi repeat ad naseum. This is proof that Army Rule and counter "insurgency" is central to the problem, and not part of any solution.
13. Army Rule and counter "insurgency" is in fact directed at the broad masses of people of Manipur and other states of the North East.
14. The UPA government has refused to address the political and social problems of Manipur and other states of the North East. It has refused to even organise a discussion in parliament on the demands raised by the people of Manipur, in particular on the justification if any for the continuation of the AFSPA.
15. The Left parties who are supporting the UPA have been conciliating with the line of "defending national unity and territorial integrity", which is but a justification for fascism and violence against peoples.
16. The UPA government and the former NDA government are consistent in their policy towards the Manipuri people with the line of the British colonialists.

Having noted the above facts,

We declare

1. We are one with the people of Manipur and all the peoples of the North East in their struggle for democracy and the repeal of fascist laws like the AFSPA.
2. We demand and fight for the immediate and unconditional repeal of the AFSPA, the Disturbed Areas Act and other fascist laws like the National Security Act.
3. We demand and fight for the immediate withdrawal of the Armed Forces into the barracks;
4. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all arrested in the present agitation in Manipur as well as the lifting of the ban on organisations that are fighting for the repeal of the AFSPA.
5. We reject the line of "defending national unity and territorial integrity" through the gun.
6. We uphold the unity and solidarity of all the Indian peoples, including the different nations, nationalities and tribal peoples whose homelands lie within the borders of present day India.
7. And towards this end, we will wage the struggle within and outside parliament, in the campuses, in the media and in the courts, throughout the length and breadth of India, to uphold the unity and solidarity of the Indian peoples and advance the struggle for democracy and rights against fascism.

Manipur Students Association of Delhi (MSAD)
(For more information contact Seram Rajesh (President) 31114339 or Rakesh (Gen Sec) 9899018747)