As a recent move of Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC), a nationwide protest against the neglect and suppression of Irom Sharmila, is observing 12 Article series to reflect 12 years of suppression of Irom Sharmila's fast.
In this series one article per day will be published on its website and will be dedicated to one year fast of Irom.
This will conclude on 5th November, the day when Irom Sharmila will be unfortunately completing her 12 years of stuggle.
Here's the seventh article:
Unmatched Saga of Relentless Struggle - Irom Sharmila Chanu
By Mandavi Yadav
She is called
the “Iron Lady of Manipur”. A civil rights activist and a poet from Manipur,
India, she's the one and only Irom Sharmila Chanu, who have been on a fast for over
twelve years now. Her only plea to the Indian government is to take away the Armed
Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 which empowers the military to shoot down just
anyone on mere suspicion.
She has been consistently
and incessantly continuing the fast but in vein. But, what has motivated and
continues to motivate her to consider this harsh tone? A thought of the Malom
Massacre...
On that fatal
Thursday, November 2, 2000, ten ordinary people were shot and wiped out through the eighth Assam
Rifles while they were waiting for the bus at a bus-stand in Malom, an urban
area within the Imphal town of Manipur. The following day, the local dailies carried
the atrocious and cruel pictures from their dead physiques, together with a
62-years old lady, Leisangbam Ibetombi, and 18-years old Sinam Chandramani, a
1988 National Child Bravery Award champion. In the news, all of them including
the 62 year old lady and the Bravery Award winner were declared to be
“militants”. This incident is referred to as the “Malom Massacre”.
Enraged by these
increased atrocities from the military, 28-years-old Sharmila, who would
observe fast every Thursday since childhood, decided to dedicate the fast to
draw attention of the Government towards these atrocities. But little did she
know that, her fast would continue for 12 years. She is neither taking water
nor food. On November 4, 2000 she visited the spot where the incident had
occured and stated her utmost step - to fast-unto-dying till AFSPA is taken
away.
Sharmila stated,
"I had been traumatised by the sight. There is no way to stop the further
intrusion by the military... It (fast) is the best way, it is a spiritual
fight... My fast is with respect to the folks of Manipur. This isn't an
individual fight, it's symbolic. It's an indication of truth, peace and love."
Around the third
day of her fast, she was arrested and charged with 'attempt to commit suicide',
under section 309 of the Indian Penal Code. The Government decided to keep her
on a nasal feeding of a semi liquid substance, just to keep her alive while keeping
her under house-arrest. Every year, she is re-arrested.
Born on March
14, 1972, since childhood Sharmila was quite incomparable from other women in
her own locality. She was modest, a basic girl having a couple of selected
buddies. She didn't like dressing, she
neither used any cosmetics nor any jewellery. She was habitual of reading
Bhagwad Gita and practised yoga and began learning naturopathy and stenography.
A lady like
Sharmila is unequalled; she's actively fighting for her region, for her people
without getting her very own individual interests. Her fast is possibly, the
longest hunger-strike ever. She’s not been eating or drinking, even a droplet
of water since November, 2000. She's been kept alive through the painful
procedure of nasal feeding. She's now living in an exceedingly pitiable
condition. She doesn’t comb her hair, does not check herself in the mirror and
cleans her teeth with a dry cotton. She is internally week, her menstrual
cycles have stopped. Whenever she will get a chance, she tries to do away with
the nasal tube.
According to a
report of BBC on her health stated, "Doctors are saying that her fasting has got an immediate
effect on normal functions of her body - her bones have grown to be brittle and
some medical disorder are worsening her body too."
She's a lady, a
beacon of hope and peace, a genuine fighter who has fought against this fight,
for so long and all alone, with no media hype. While Baba Ramdev and Anna
Hazare fasted for any couple of days and the whole nation was with them(a huge
credit goes to the media), Sharmila's fight is a lonely one. Here it is!
Sharmila, you undoubtedly are a legend and has proven the fighting spirit of
humankind.
Mandavi Yadav is from Chandigarh. She is an entreprenuer and currently running an event company. She is passionate about working for a change and writes articles as a tool for activism. She can be reached at mandavi.707@gmail.com
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