22 November 2014, Kathmandu, Nepal
We, Gwangju Human Rights Laureates, desiring that SAARC embody the expression of peoples, aver the need for greater efforts for promoting the sovereignty of the people and violence-free South Asia through democratic values and structures and would like to request the governments of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to recognize the non-violent movement of Irom Sharmila as a great tradition of the Gandhian movement in the region.
We also urge the governments of SAARC to stop militarization and to repeal security acts such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which have been a cause of egregious human rights violations and vicious cycle of violence in the region. We appeal to promote peace and understanding of disputes, and efforts for settling any dispute amicably at the popular level.
Binayak Sen, India
Sushil Pyakurel, Nepal
Adilur Rahaman Khan, Bangladesh
Lenin Raghuvanshi, India
