Far away from New Delhi, beyond the heart of mainstream India, forgotten in the eastern corner of the country, close to the Burmese border, lies a troubled Himalayan province with a population of around 2.2 million people, less than even Delhi. No, we are not talking about Kashmir. This is a tragedy in the remote Indian state of Manipur.
The Short Story of Manipur
Manipur, formerly ruled by a Raja, has been a problem state since the time it was annexed to India in 1949. Insurgents have often resorted to violence (terrorism for rest of the Indians) to demand secession from the world's biggest democracy.
In 1958, Indian government introduced a special law—The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)—that granted special powers to the Indian armed forces to arrest, detain, interrogate or even kill any person on mere suspicion. This act, operational in the volatile hotspot Jammu and Kashmir, has also been in force in Manipur for 26 years now.
While the Indian government maintains the law is necessary to restore normality in a border-state racked by a militant secessionist movement, civil society groups allege gross human rights violations by the army.
On November 2, 2000, a tragedy took place when the Indian army killed ten innocent civilians at Malon, near Imphal - Manipur's capital. The incident jolted a 28-year-old budding Manipuri poet, Ms. Irom Sharmila Chanu, who resolved to sit for a hunger strike until the controversial law was completely scrapped. However, she was imprisoned on charges of 'attempted suicide' and was kept in a secured ward at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Imphal for more than half a decade where she survived by forced nasal feeding.
On October 3, 2006, the local court at Imphal ordered her release, following which she flew to Delhi.
Ms. Sharmila is presently holding a fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar - a Delhi landmark, lying close to the nation's parliament, where people from different parts of the country come to stage demonstrations. The term 'Jantar Mantar' is the Hindi language equivalent of the magical charm abracadabra; it is to Delhi what Tiananmen Square is to Beijing.
Here are some of the images taken in the late evening of October 5, 2006. Do not be dazzled by the bright lights. The effect was due to the excellent flashlight of this reporter's camera. The place was actually unlit and felt gloomy in darkness.
A Lonely Crusade
Ms.Sharmila, enclosed within a mosquito net, was lying hidden under the blue blanket. She was being cared for by a volunteer, a young student, whose duties would later be taken over by other volunteers during the course of the night. Interestingly, the first thing Ms. Sharmila did on arriving in Delhi was to visit the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, the man who had introduced the concept of keeping fasts as a means of peaceful protest.
Ms. Sharmila says, "My fast is on behalf of the people of Manipur. This is not a personal battle - this is symbolic. It is a symbol of truth, love and peace."
Article comments
1 - David
She is a brave woman. I'm concerned for her. Is there any way I can help her?
2 - MillionDollarCountDown
Oh this is sad. I hope this story circulates and gets it due attention worldwide.
3 - Mayank Austen Soofi
In a late night swoop on Friday, the Delhi police arrested Ms Sharmila from Jantar Mantar and took her to the All-India Institute for Medical Sciences for urgent medical treatment.
At the time of her arrest, her pulse was 47 -- compared to the normal range of 60-80 -- and she was running a temperature.
More than 100 police personnel arrested her even as Manipuri students and other supporters sang "We shall overcome."
"Her condition is critical and we have no option but to take her to hospital," Police said.
Source: hindu.com
4 - Sharad
A fine article Mayank, but I was surprised to read the following at the end: "Also, readers must appreciate the greatness of this country when it so freely allows its angry citizens to register their protest right in the heart of the national capital."
I am sorry Mayank, but where you see greatness as a fellow Indian, I see how hollow we all are. We lionise Gandhi, our politicians bow before his samadhi at Rajghat, make speeches and bundle up a frail girl in jail for following in his path. As an Indian I would have been prouder still if Ms. Sharmila and other Manipuris did not have to go on a hunger strike to draw attention to the problem for so many years. We must all hang our heads in shame!
5 - Vikram
This type is law is just ridiculous. By giving such power to the armed fore they are not trying to restore peace, instead they are creating much problem. The Armed force who are to maintain the law and order are actually playing with the law in their hand because of the power (AFSPA) given to them. Every human society should protest against such black law of the Indian Govt
6 - varun
This is a shame.. I am ashamed to call my self a indian. they AFSPA commits so many atrocities in that state. the indian media does not even cover it. You should reado some foreign articles about these things