Irom Sharmila's decision shocks many
Source: The Sangai Express / Courtesy The Indian Express

Kolkata, July 26 2016: In her sixteenth year of fasting, in a struggle to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Manipur's Iron Lady, the 44-year-old Irom Sharmila Chanu Tuesday announced that she will end her hunger strike on August 9.For sixteen long years Irom has lived under house arrest as an undertrial prisoner in room number one, reserved for VIPs, in the special ward of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences.

She has been force fed through her nose the entire time.

The Ryles tube through which she is force fed has over the years become a symbol of Manipur's fight against AFSPA.

Today, Irom startled Manipur and the rest of the world by announcing that she will give up her fast, get married, fight in the upcoming state assembly elections which are to be held early next year.

Irom, who has been facing charges under section 309 IPC for attempting to commit suicide, addressed the media outside the Imphal court premises, explaining her decision to quit her fast.

"The Government has not been listening to our voices and has been suppressing our movement," she said.

Irom said that she will be joining the political fray and contesting elections to "get our voices heard at the Centre".

She also indicated her desire to get married after her release.

Activists now say that she is likely to contest as an independent candidate in the elections.

Irom had, even in the past, expressed her desire time and time again to the media, to be "able to live like a normal human being" .

"I don't want to be a Goddess.

I just want a normal life," she had said in earlier interviews.

Irom has been involved with Goan born British citizen Desmond Coutinho for the past few years and their relationship has faced much criticism from within the Manipuri community and from pressure groups such as the Meira Paibis.

The Meira Paibis had earlier alleged that Coutinho was trying to sway Irom and derail their movement to repeal AFSPA.

While rights activists, Meira Paibis (the mothers organization which has been Irom's support system this 16 long years) and even her own family were completely caught unaware by her announcement, Sharmila had called a local newspaper last night using the phone of a hospital personnel and asked them to be present at the court hearing in Imphal today.

Irom appears before a local court every few months as an undertrial.

Her older brother Irom Singhajit, when contacted by The Indian Express, first said that he did not want to comment.

Then he told the Indian Express that the news had come as a shock to him.

"No she hadn't told me about the decision.

Nor anyone else in the family.

She never discussed it with anyone in the family.

I got a phone call from someone informing me of her announcement," he said.

Irom Singhajit added that he had not informed his mother, 84-year-old Irom Sakhi.

"I have not told her yet.

And I will not tell her.

I am afraid of the effect this news will have on her.

She will eventually come to know, I know.

But she has been fighting, just as the rest of the family, in support of Sharmila and in the struggle to get AFSPA repealed.

I think she will be angry if she hears this," said Irom Singhajit.

After Irom began her fast, her mother had vowed not to meet Irom, till AFSPA had been repealed from the state and her daughter's mission had been accomplished.

Irom has had a turbulent relationship with her brother over the past few years.

With Irom Singhajit being opposed to her involvement with Desmond Countinho and had distanced herself from her family as well as human rights activists and the Meira Paibis, who were the backbone of her movement.

She had earlier accused Singhajit of threatening Coutinho.

Isolated from friends and family, Irom would take comfort from letters and gifts that Coutinho would send her, and from the two Guinea pigs that she kept as pets.

Director of Human Rights Alert, Babloo Loitongbam, who began the Save Sharmila campaign, and who has been her support through her struggles also said that the decision took him by surprise.

"When I first heard about this it was a shock.

But I can understand why this is happening.

If after 16 long years, her fasting has had little impact on the government and there has been no progress in the move to repeal AFSPA, then what is the guarantee that this will happen if she fasts another 16? She wants to change her track, the path of our collective struggle, and enter the political arena and try that instead.

We give her our best wishes.

There is no human being who has struggled and sacrificed more for the cause than Sharmila and we all salute her for that.

This is her personal decision which she has a right to make," said Loitongbam speaking with The Indian Express.

But rumblings within Manipur have begun.

Sources say that pressure groups in the state are unhappy with Irom's announcement.

"There is a feeling that Sharmila's decision may jeopardize the movement and people aren't happy," said one activist.

"The movement against AFSPA will continue with or without Sharmila.

It is true that her sacrifices have been tremendous and that is why she had become a protagonist in the movement.

After she comes out, if she wishes to continue leading the movement, we will all be with her.

But if she decides otherwise, that is also her choice.

Someone else will take her place.

The movement will continue till the time justice is served to all the families who have lost their loved ones.

For all the people who have been killed or who have simply disappeared," said another activist.

Vice president of the state Congress Committee and spokesperson N Biren welcomed Irom Sharmila's decision to join politics.

"If the fasting hasn't helped maybe this will.

She has been isolated from the people for years.

She doesn't get to meet any political leaders.

Maybe as a political leader she will be able to meet leaders at the Centre and convince them to repeal AFSPA.

We all want AFSPA to be repealed in the state," said Biren, adding that the Congress party had not approached her so far.

"It's too early.

We have just heard the news.

And this is a decision that the party will take collectively," he said.

When Irom was released by the orders of a sessions court in 2014, huge crowds had welcomed her at Ima Keithel, Imphal's largest and only women's market in the heart of the city.

Irom had begun her fast in November 2000 soon after the Malom massacre on November 2, 2000, in which ten civilians were shot dead by the Assam Rifles at Malom on the Tiddim road.

By the time the incident took place, Irom had already begun working as a human rights activist.

In an earlier interview with The Indian Express Irom had said, "I was at a preparatory meeting for a peace rally when I first heard of the incident.

It was a Thursday.

And for years I would fast on Thursdays.

I saw photographs of the dead bodies drenched in blood the next day, and never broke the fast � I was so upset that I didn't eat.

My colleagues told me to take my fasting from outside the bedroom and into the public sphere � that was November 5th.So I went to get my mother's blessing and then I left" .

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