Irom Sharmila declines award
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal/ Kolkata, October 28 2012:
The Kovilam Smaraka Activist Indian National Award, a honour from Kovilam Trust, a forum of Kerala writers, to Iron Lady Irom Chanu Sharma, who has been fasting for nearly 12 years now in pursuance of public demand for repealing Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1950, has been politely returned back by her brother Irom Singhajit in protest against the Government of Manipur's move to bar people from outside the state as well as the locals from meeting Sharmila.
Sharmila had also announced earlier that she would not receive any award until her demand for withdrawal of the military Act is fulfilled.
Accordingly, when social activist and litterateur Mahasweta Devi presented the award to Irom Singhajit, who represented his sister Sharmila during a function at Kolkata yesterday evening, the brother politely returned it.
"Sharmila has expressed the desire not to receive any award from any individual or organisation until and unless her demand of repealing AFSPA is fulfilled," Singhajit told the stunned reporters present during the award presentation ceremony.
He asked members of Kovilam Trust to keep the award which included a memento and a cheque of Rs 50,000 in safe custody and added that "After Sharmila comes out winning, she will collect it herself" .
During the award ceremony, Magsaysay award winner Mahasweta Devi said Sharmila was like a torch assuring people all over the world to fight for their freedom and rights.
"Seldom do we come across an activist with such determination and courage.
Sharmila is an emblem of courage.
If Tagore was alive, he would have been so proud of her," she added.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference at Manipur Press Club today, Singhajit said that he received the award on behalf of her sister Sharmila as a show of respect to the Kovilam Trust.
However, he returned it in honour of her sister's resolution not to accept any award from any individual or organizations till AFSPA is repealed from Manipur.
Singhajit informed that henceforth Kovilam Trust would be taking up a campaign in support of Sharmila throughout Kerala to help in bringing up the issue throughout the nation.
On the restriction imposed on meeting Sharmila even by her family members, Singhajit said that one has to obtain the permission from the State Home Department at least a month in advance and in most cases, the permission is denied by the state government.
Considering the problem thus faced, Just Peace Foundation would be pressing the Home Department to grant permission for meeting Sharmila.
The Foundation may even take recourse to legal action, if the Home Department fails to do the needful in this regard, Singhajit said.
Babloo Loitangbam, Human Rights Activist, who was also present on the occasion, said that Sharmila was chosen for the award from amongst a number of shortlisted renowned personalities including Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy and Binayak Sen, etc.
It may be noted here that the non-violent protest of Sharmila has won her a number of awards including the 2007 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights and a lifetime achievement award from the Asian Human Rights Commission.
Forcibly nose-fed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal, the 39-year-old has been kept under detention by the police for "attempt to suicide" since November 2000 when she sat on the fast.
However, he returned it in honour of her sister's resolution not to accept any award from any individual or organizations till AFSPA is repealed from Manipur.
Singhajit informed that henceforth Kovilam Trust would be taking up a campaign in support of Sharmila throughout Kerala to help in bringing up the issue throughout the nation.
On the restriction imposed on meeting Sharmila even by her family members, Singhajit said that one has to obtain the permission from the State Home Department at least a month in advance and in most cases, the permission is denied by the state government.
Considering the problem thus faced, Just Peace Foundation would be pressing the Home Department to grant permission for meeting Sharmila.
The Foundation may even take recourse to legal action, if the Home Department fails to do the needful in this regard, Singhajit said Babloo Loitangbam, Human Rights Activist, who was also present on the occasion, said that Sharmila was chosen for the award from amongst a number of shortlisted renowned personalities including Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy and Binayak Sen, etc.
It may be noted here that the non-violent protest of Sharmila has won her a number of awards including the 2007 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights and a lifetime achievement award from the Asian Human Rights Commission.
Forcibly nose-fed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal, the 39-year-old has been kept under detention by the police for "attempt to suicide" since November 2000 when she sat on the fast.
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