Release Irom Sharmila: 16,000 people say
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 17 2013: Calling her as the "Prisoner of Conscience", Amnesty International India (AII) has demanded the Central and State Government for immediate unconditional release of Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been on fast unto death for the last 13 years demanding repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 from Manipur.

Addressing media persons at Manipur Press Club, Majorkhul here today, Chief Executive of Amnesty International India G Ananthapadmanabhan said that over 16,000 people have supported an Amnesty International India campaign seeking immediate and unconditional release of human rights activist and "Prisoner of Conscience" Irom Chanu Sharmila.

The Governments of Manipur and Delhi should heed the thousands of voices urging them to drop all charges against Sharmila and release her immediately.

Irom Sharmila is a "Prisoner of Conscience", detained solely for the peaceful expression of her beliefs, and her time in custody is a continuing reminder of India's intolerance to dissent.

She has been on a prolonged hunger strike for the last 13 years demanding the repeal of AFSPA, 1958, the Chief Executive of AII noted.

He further said that Sharmila was arrested by Manipur Police shortly after she began her hungers strike on November 2, 2000, and charged her with attempting to commit suicide- a criminal offence under Indian law.

In March 2013, a Delhi Court also charged her with attempting to commit suicide in October 2006 when she staged a protest at Jantar Mantar, Delhi for two days.

Sharmila is being detained in the security ward of JNIMS Hospital, Porompat where she is force-fed liquid diets through her nose.

Visitors, including her family and friends have to go through a lengthy process of obtaining permission from the State Government, Ananthapadmanabhan pointed out.

On October 30, 2013, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directed Manipur Government to immediately remove the restrictions on access to Irom Sharmila, calling them a breach of India's obligations under International human rights standards and principles, and a grave violation of human rights, the Chief Executive asserted.

Further, he said the NHRC acknowledged that Sharmila was being detained solely for the peaceful expression of her beliefs and the State Government was trying to break her spirit through this enforced isolation, for which there is no judicial mandate.

Moreover, thousands of people have acknowledged Sharmila's hunger strike as not an attempt to commit suicide, but a protest against human rights violation, the Amnesty International representative contended.

Ananthapadmanabhan further stated that the authorities must not use charges of attempted suicide to deflect attention from the important issues that Irom Sharmila is raising at a huge personal cost.

In February 2012, the Supreme Court of India observed in its ruling in the Ram Lila Maidan Incident case that a hunger strike is a form of protest which has been accepted, both historically and legally in the constitutional jurisprudence of India, he noted.

Above all, the Chief Executive mentioned that the British Medical Association, in a briefing to the World Medical Association, has clarified that, "a hunger strike is not equivalent to suicide.

Individuals who embark on hunger strikes aim to achieve goals important to them but generally hope and intend to survive".

This position is embodied by the World Medical Association in its Malta Declaration on Hunger Strikes, he added.

Ananthapadmanabhan said that Irom Sharmila is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence and she told Amnesty International India that, "My struggle is my message.

I love my life very much and want to have the freedom to meet people and struggle for issues close to my heart" .

He stated that Amnesty International India's public campaign seeking Irom Sharmila's release was launched on November 2 last and it has been supported by groups and individual supporters across the world.

Meanwhile, a four-member team of Amnesty International India, who arrived at Imphal on December 15, met State Home Minister Gaikhangam yesterday and submitted a memorandum seeking immediate and unconditional release of Irom Sharmila.

During a meeting with the Chief Secretary in connection with asking permission to meet Sharmila, the officer reportedly told the Amnesty team that the restriction imposed earlier on visiting Sharmila has been lifted and visitors could now meet her, but still as a prisoner.

The other members of Amnesty International India visiting the State are Coordinator of Network and Advocacy Raghu Menon and Media Officer Durga Nandini Sahadevan.

Yesterday, the visiting Amnesty team met Sharmila Chanu at the security ward of JNIMS, Porompat where she is being kept confined by the State administration for the last many years and shared the details of the organisation's 'Free Irom Sharmila' campaign with her.

They also handed over nearly 300 letters written to Sharmila by school children from Bangalore during the meeting.

According to a statement issued by Durga Nandini, Media Officer of AII, Sharmila was clearly moved by the letters in which children, many of whom were born after she started her hunger strike, expressed their support for her protest, and asked her to come and visit them.

Sharmila said that she was happy to know that over 16,000 people across the country had supported Amnesty International India's month-long public campaign seeking her immediate and unconditional release.

In a message to those who supported Amnesty International India's campaign for her release, Sharmila said: "When we want change in the society, we should take the weapon of conscience with sincerity, dedication and integrity" .

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