As a Naga nationalist and human rights activist, I wish to sincerely express my deepest respect and admiration to my Meitei neighbour and sister Sharmila for her courageous and sacrificial six year fast against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

I, also wish to reiterate that her hunger strike is not just for her own people’s benefit but also for the benefit of all the people of North East India who have suffered and died under the reign of this most inhuman Act. This inhuman Regulation has been in operation for the past forty eight years (1958-2006).

In a wider sense, the message of her hunger strike also transcends all national and international boundaries in an appeal for the protection of the sanctity of human lives. Her protest is therefore, in a wider sense, a protest on behalf of all humanity against those who would violate universal human rights. These human rights are enshrined in the "United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948."

This Universal Human Rights Declaration in Article 3 states: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person." Article 11 (1) further states: "Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence."

But on the contrary, under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, any commissioned officer of the Indian armed forces down to the rank of a Havildar (Sergeant) can enter and search any premises without any warrant. They can also arrest any person on suspicion without any arrest warrant.

But worst of all, the so empowered Havildars can even shoot to death any person who in his (personal) opinion …"is acting in contravention of any law or order (Act) for the time being in force in a disturbed area…" AFSPA, Section 4 (d), (e) and (a).

The legal and political question here is of course one of: "Who disturbed who in the first place?" Is it a case where India’s neighbours - the North East people - went down to the plains of India and disturbed their peace? Or is it a case where the plainsmen of India came up to our North Eastern hills and disturbed our political sovereignty and peace?

This is a question that must be resolved by the UN and not the Government of India as all the North Eastern parts of India have never been under the rule or domain of any Indian King or Prince, prior to the arrival and departure of the British imperial power in the Indian sub-continent.

Here, it is an irrefutable historical fact that even as late as 1947, the Indian sub-continent was inhabited by many smaller nations who have never had any political, racial, cultural or religious affinity with the Hindu-Muslim kingdoms of India in past history.

As for Nagaland, based on these historical facts, we declared our independence on 14th August 1947. We were however "disturbed" and occupied by the Indian military forces from 1956 to date. In our struggle to defend our sovereignty from 1947 to date, we have also been victims of these cruel extra constitutional regulations.

From 1954 to 1957, hundreds upon hundreds of our villages were burned to ashes. These heinous acts were perpetrated against us under the Assam Disturbed Area Act of 1955. (The AFSPA of 1958 was an extension of the Assam Disturbed Area Act of 1955).

As a result of this Indian created, "disturbed situation", in the past over half a century, over two hundred thousand Nagas have died under the cruel shadow of these inhuman Acts and Regulations. These Acts and Regulations are sanctioned and protected by Indian law and the perpetrators of these heinous laws have even immunity from legal prosecution unless the Central Government sanctions it (Assam Disturbed Area Act, 1955, Section 6; AFSPA, 1958, 1972, Section 6).

In this connection, I personally feel for India’s democratic image before the whole world because if India continues to perpetrate these heinous laws, one day she might find herself accused of "State Sponsored Terrorism" before an international court of law. Before such a possible shame happens, I plead with conscientious Indian citizens to look into the eyes of Sharmila - the six years fasting martyr from the North East.

Perhaps, if you look deeply enough, you will see in her shrunken eyes, the conscience of India staring back at you.

You may even see the death stares of all the thousands of North Easterners who have died under these cruel laws.

For Heaven’s sake, citizens of India, do not let another "Mahatma" die under your very stares within the walls of your capital city.

As for Sharmila, I salute you - my neighbour sister.

May you have the longest life on earth.