Imphal, Sept. 28: A conglomerate of human rights groups in Manipur slammed Delhi for persistently 'refusing' to repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and giving no indication of repealing it during the recent UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session.

Laifungbam Debabrata Roy, the convener of the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN, said India only 'noted' recommendations by countries to repeal the act during the UNHRC's session for adoption of outcome documents of India's Universal Review on September 21.

A three-member delegation of the civil society coalition, Babloo Loitongbam, Yumnam Jiten and Renu Takhellambam, attended the session.

The coalition is a conglomeration of rights groups of the state, and is lobbying among the international communities and human rights bodies against the act.

'Most of the human rights issues critical to the situation in Manipur, including repeal/review of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, ratification of Convention on Protection of All Persons Against Enforced Disappearances (CED), moratorium on death penalty and ratification of the Rome Statute on International Criminal Court, are only noted (by India) without indicating a follow-up plan and not accepted,' Roy said here today.

He said many international organisations, including Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurist and Forum-ASIA, strongly denounced the Centre's continued refusal to accept the recommendations for the repeal/review of the AFSPA.

'We in the coalition strongly deplore the refusal of the government of India to repeal the AFSPA, 1958, despite persistent recommendations from the UN and international community,' Roy added.

In the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2008, Germany, UK and Canada recommended the repeal of the AFSPA.

Similarly, in the second cycle in 2012, Switzerland, France and Slovakia made similar recommendations. In the third cycle as well, Switzerland and Pakistan raised the issue, Roy said.

He said in all the three cycles, the Centre had persistently refused to accept the recommendations. The coalition also condemned the failure of India to ratify the Convention against Torture (CAT) despite its signing of the treaty 20 years ago in 1997 and strongly urged Delhi to urgently ratify it by adopting an Act of Parliament for the prevention of torture.

In a side event of the UN session in the Palais des Nations, Yumnam Jiten said, 'The continued enforcement of the AFSPA means the unleashing of more inhumanity, extreme forms of violations, genocidal practices and a culture of impunity, targeting the most marginalised communities and national minorities.'