Irom Sharmila Chanu – the legendary crusader of peace

Samarjit Kambam *

Irom Chanu Sharmila on 9th March 2009 :: Pix by JInendra Maibam

The father of the nation "Mahatma Gandhi" underwent fast on many occasions as protests against the British divide and rule policy - a kind of protest which was purely non-violent but spoke volumes and produced forceful repercussions mightier than the ferocity and power of weapons.

In the far North-Eastern remote corner of Indian nation where the public's welfare are simply taken for granted and looked upon with a step-motherly attitude by the Indian Union, arises a crusader of peace in the non-violent Gandhian way. Her name is Irom Sharmila Chanu. It is a pity that she has been recognised by many international human rights bodies, NGOs and many international forums than the very nation where she was born.

The Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Mrs Shirin Ebadi of Iran even visited her in Nov 2006 at AIIMS, New Delhi to proclaim the full support for the latter's indomitable struggle against AFSPA. She has been continuing her fast till death since 2000 i.e. for more than 11 years, the longest in the record of the world in protest against the draconian law known as AFSPA(Armed Forces Special Powers Act) 1958 imposed by our nation India, the largest democratic country of the world which came into effect in Manipur with effect from 1980. AFSPA is such a kind of Act of the Law where the armed forces can kill any civilian at will even of a little suspicion.

Irom Sharmila Chanu was born in 1972 at Kongpal Khaidem Leikai, Porompat, Imphal East District. Her hunger-strike began since 04 Nov 2000 when Assam Rifles personnel shot dead 10 innocent villagers at Malom village in Imphal valley. Sharmila was a product of a movement that began in 1993 movement against the Act which has shattered many Manipuri homes and only bred more insurgents.

The younger generations of Manipur view the Act as an instrument of oppression used by the Centre leading to further alienation of the state from the national mainstream. AFSPA has become a mental block in bridging the gap between the mainstream India and the North-East. There is a huge chasm between life in Manipur and life elsewhere in India. If we have to bring back Manipur to the national mainstream, the Act has to go .

The AFSPA is a colonial Act that works to the advantage of the Army and has not been effective in curbing insurgency till date. Because of this there is a wide difference between the Army's attitude towards people here and towards Indians living elsewhere.

Thanks to Sharmila's dramatic act of defiance, the anti AFSPA movement has now reached the global stage and human rights activists consider this a great achievement. A signature campaign in solidarity with Sharmila was launched on Gandhi Jayanti and which concluded on 10 December 2011, the International Human Rights Day.

The group ended a campaign in Kerala and was moving next to Bangalore and Delhi. Recently, a Kashmir to Imphal rally was organised but the Manipur Govt did not allow a meeting between Sharmila and the protesters from the North. Earlier, this non-violent fight was ignored by the national media. The situation has changed now. Even groups in European countries are backing her. Sharmila is not looking for amendments to AFSPA, her main aim is the repeal of AFSPA.

The campaign led to a change in how AFSPA is applied in Manipur - police commandos are now in the forefront of anti-insurgency operations. But the New Delhi based Asian Centre for Human Rights(ACHR) has filed many complaints about extrajudicial killings from 2003 to 2011 in Manipur with National Human Rights Commission(NHRC).

Many of these alleged extra-judicial killings were indeed deaths in the custody of Manipur Police but since the commandos claim to be conducting operations jointly with armed forces, these deaths are not reported to the NHRC. Manipur with a miniscule population of 27 lakh compared to figures of other states witnesses about 300 to 400 killings every year on an average with fake encounters making the highest death toll.

Mention may be made of the cold-blooded killing of a reformed militant Chungkham Sanjit by police commandos in Imphal in July 23, 2009 among the public in the very heart of Imphal city. Human rights abuses still continue in one form or other. The continuation of AFSPA is directly linked with the ruling class and the public wants an end to human rights violations.

Enacted by Parliament in 1958, AFSPA was first introduced in Assam and Manipur to contain the Naga rebellion. Initially, only Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur came under the act, but in 1980, the entire state was brought under AFSPA. This happened after Imphal valley-based insurgents became active and started demanding the separation of Manipur from the Indian Union.

Ironically, even after 21 years of imposition of this draconian law, the problem of insurgency is not being solved which is clearly evident that this law is not an effective result-oriented Act and can be treated as null and void. On the contrary, the number of insurgent groups in Manipur have increased. As this "license to kill" kind of Act has been donned by the armies, innumerable killing of innocent lives is increasing with each passing day.

There is no doubt if that the same brutal atrocities by the security forces in Manipur have been perpetrated anywhere in "mainland India", it would have been a cause of national outcry. It is highly derogatory for a democratic state to look the other way feigning as if all is well when violence ravages one's homeland.

Now, Sharmila's selfless non-violent defiance against the union of India has been in the limelight and attracts attention of international human rights activists and many international human rights forums and big shot human rights activists and foreign human rights NGOs and private and govt bodies which can be considered signature campaign in solidarity with world peace.

It is really unfortunate that the people of Manipur look down upon Miss Irom Sharmila Chanu as a crazy character, ridiculed and taunted her in every possible way which shows the narrow mindedness of the people of Manipur and viewed her selfless act with travesty at the beginning of starting of her fast till death campaign. It was taken by granted by her very homeland Manipur that her fast was only for show to attract public attention and she is still being humiliated and scoffed at by her own people.

But of late her mind of steel and her relentless unselfish pursuit against removal of AFSPA from the state of Manipur has broken the teeth of prejudice of the public. In fact she stands firm like a mountain without petty consideration of cast, creed and religion. She can be nomenclatured as the 'Crusader of Peace' which is quite an achievement in the killing field of Manipur.

One thing we should always remember is that, this is the right time and place for the people to intervene and support her cause. Only then, will the hornet of the string pullers at the Centre will get stirred and compelled to take up action. I really wonder why the Nobel Prize Committee is not conferring the Nobel Prize for Peace to Irom Sharmila Chanu because she is evidently the most rightful incumbent to be the recipient for the coveted award.

It is a pity that the Indian Govt gives the title of "Minds of Steel" to any Tom, Harry & Dick for achievements not worth mentioning but ignores the Herculean and extraordinary effort of Sharmila's campaign for peace.

Instead she was booked under Section 309 of IPC as a public offender punishable by one year in prison. Like a play-toy she was arrested by Indian Govt and released only to be arrested again. And compared to those other mind of steel people, Sharmila is far ahead in terms of grit, determination and endless pursuit for peace. In fact Sharmila's name is synonymous to 'Nobel Peace Prize'.

I morally and spiritually support her cause, the testimony of which is given in the following few lines:-

Sharmila, Sharmila…
Reverbrates by the breeze your name, Echoes by the hills your name,
Mocked and ridiculed by your own people, but praised by the world,
A clawless tiger you have become, protecting your dear cublings
From the deadly world of Armed Forces Special Powers Act;
A Messenger of peace you are, I thank Thee Heavenly fingers for gifting you among us,
The mountains shy away at your boldness, Guns are no match against your might,
A legendary figure you have attained, an icon of peace of the world,
An angel in disguise you are, though frail and pale you are,
Weakening yourself with each passing day, sacrificing your youthful years
Each day is a torture for you, but relentlessly and silently suffering you are
For our better tomorrow.