As Tough As Iron

She is no ordinary activist with some bizarre craze for fasting on day to day issues like we see many these days catching headlines. A committed follower of Mahatma Gandhi in true sense and in actions, Irom Chanu Sharmila of Manipur is on an indefinite fast for the last 13 years!

Yes she has not taken any food voluntarily since the year 2000. Yet most of us don’t know the story of struggle of Irom and other activists of the same cause much because of national media's reluctance to focus on NE states. It is just a strange world record of fasting for the common public but the ground realities are way more disturbing. Irom’s only demand from the central government is to repeal the AFSPA( armed forces special powers act ) of 1958 which gives special power in the form of immunity to armed forces operating in sensitive regions of J&K and Northeast India in an unjust way. The political class of 1958 failed to visualize the draconian nature of the law. The law basically gives immunity to armed forces personnel for their unlawful activities. They can order ‘shoot at sight’ of  any person they suspect, can arrest anyone without warrant and none of their activities can be challenged in courts as they can’t be prosecuted  by judiciary even after doing crimes like murder or rape. For their prosecution written order from Home ministry is required and rarely this happens. The flaws of the law are enough for them to escape trial. Since the enactment of the law the criminals in the face of army or paramilitary forces have been abusing the law for their crimes in Kashmir and northeast. Most of their crimes don’t even feature in media. They have been killing innocent unarmed citizens, raping women and children of the region in the backdrop of the controversial law. 

In an incident of the year 2000 more than 12 people including children were shot in a bus top of Manipur by the military/paramilitary forces. Those citizens were merely waiting for the bus. The murdered persons included a teenager who earlier had won national bravery award too. Anti human activities like these moved many human rights activists to struggle against the law. Irom sharmila followed the non violent path of protest by not taking food which forced the authorities to feed her forcefully through her nose. Her health deteriorated and instead of taking steps to review the law the authorities started a case against her for attempt to suicide and the case still continues in courts.

One famous incident is the Kunan Poshpora village incident (1990s) of kashmir army raped the whole village! They spared none and they were brutally kicking and mutilating according to survivors yet no trial has taken place till now. Thanks to AFSPA ! All government documents and army press releases have termed it conspiracy but many NGOs have investigated and found the FIRs filed by those women. Clearly so many women filing FIRs against the stigma wont be lying. Recently Home ministry extended AFSPA in Assam for one more year despite protests and minutes after its extention the news report came " two school boys of class 10 and 7 were killed by Army in a joint operation with paramilitary as they suspected them as terrorists". this case wont have any trial too but there is pall of gloom in the homes of those two innocent kids.

 The UN also declared the law to be against human rights and against international laws. In the words of Iron lady of Manipur “ I love life and have no intention to die but I won’t end my fast till the government repeals the law, I am a follower of Gandhi and am doing a peaceful protest, I will keep working against violence and towards peace”. Even after repeated assurances by various political parties, government including prime minister, no steps are being taken to consider her plea to modify the law into a more humane one. As the trial proceeds against the brave heart, the world just beholds the proceedings but her fight goes on...

P.S I have included some links for further reads on the topic -
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in Manipur and other

Controversy over Assam deaths: army, cops deny killing schoolboys