Imphal, Dec. 1: Four of the 12 women who stunned the nation by staging a nude protest in front of the gate to Kangla Fort in July today rejected the Centre?s move to review the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and replace it with a more ?humane? law.

?We cannot accept the Prime Minister?s offer to review the armed forces act. The people of Manipur are reeling under atrocities committed by the security forces under this act. Therefore, we will not accept anything less than a total repeal of this draconian act,? Ramani Devi, one of the 12, said at a public meeting convened by the Apunba Lup, a committee of 32 organisations spearheading the agitation against the legislation.

It was her first public comment on the offer made by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to a delegation of the Apunba Lup in New Delhi in the first week of November and reiterated during his visit to Imphal last month. However, none of the 12 women protesters was part of the Apunba Lup delegation that met the Prime Minister in New Delhi and Imphal.

Ramani Devi?s statement was her first in public since the naked protest in front of Kangla Fort, the then headquarters of the Assam Rifles, against the death and alleged rape of Thangjam Manorama in the custody of the paramilitary force. Though the Manorama episode created a public uproar, the naked anger was the real trigger for the over two-month-long turmoil in Manipur.

?We expressed our anger against unending atrocities by security forces in Manipur in the name of counter-insurgency operations. As our cries against the atrocities and violation of human rights went unheeded, we took the extreme step. Many women, who were violated by security forces in the past, have kept mum fearing social stigma. We can no longer tolerate such atrocities,? said Ramani Devi, who is the secretary of the All Manipur Women?s Social Reformation and Development Samaj, one of the oldest women organisations in the state.

Three of the other women who had participated in the naked protest attended the meeting, whose theme was The Role of Women in Repealing the AFSPA.

They echoed Ramani Devi?s views on the Prime Minister?s offer, and so did the other speakers.

?This act violates the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of this democratic nation. The movement should continue till our demand for total repeal of the act is fulfilled,? said Kh. Chonjon Singh, a legal expert and former member of the Manipur Human Rights Commission.

The meeting adopted three resolutions. It resolved to reject the proposal to review the armed forces act and to oppose any law that violates human rights. Besides, the women present at the meeting resolved not only to extend full support to the Apunba Lup in its agitation for repeal of the act, but also to play the main role in this fight.