Sharmila's Public Message on 6th November 2009

By:- Shreema Ningombam *

Date 6th November 2009
JN Hospital, Imphal

Our government keeps telling the insurgents to give up arms and move forward to non-violence. But in order to tell others to take the path of non-violence one has to first of all adopt the path of non-violence.

I myself who is an embodiment of non-violence am being guarded by using the various arms that can lead to violence. There is a constant order by the government to kill anyone who is suspected of being an insurgent.

Seeing the everyday killings I feel the doubt in my mind about who will ultimately be our ruler. I don't know what is happening in this land?

As the class boycott is going on for so many months we must know that that the cost of loss of even one hour-class cannot be compensated. In truth the right to education also grew out of the right to life and right to livelihood. We know we cannot go for education with empty stomach.

What will we do with education without our right to live?
Why the prolonged class boycott by the students has proved to be not effective at all? Had the boycott erupted from the authentic concern and acknowledging the true cause of the action, it would have succeeded in its cause within a month or so.

The government's indifference towards the class boycott shows it has no concern for the students' welfare. We cannot think only of the present. The concern for students today is for the future. Who knows Sharmila's fast for nine years; what changes could be brought by the upheaval caused after the Manorama's incident in 2004.

When will we get the human rights? The government says why we are making a hue and cry over the death of one or few. But we need to ponder how the deaths occurred- by a disease or by the pangs of separation of beloved..we need to think.

Is our government who claims to be our protector going to still cover the deaths as natural?
Are we to just simply educated ourselves, get a good job and end our life?
We need to ask a question why we are born.

Do we have anything to feel proud of while surviving in this land? Everywhere you see the emptiness and hollowness and subjugation. Are we made so differently by god that we as human do not deserve justice?

My heart pains as a human. Others societies have advanced a lot. Bible and Koran are not left written by god before human exist; these are written by the thoughts of man. What is that we are lacking because of which we cannot strive toward achieving to that level?

Even though we are lagging behind in many aspects we must put the best effort to progress. In this nuclear age and when men have gone to moon forty years ago, how can we still be dependent on others to move ahead?

All these achievements are by human endeavors. Even though we are slow and late but we must move ahead. When will the idea of self-nurture, self-respect and self-sustenance will come to the minds of our rulers and student bodies?

All these material constructions will vanish over night and what is more important is justice and love for humanity. Government's mismanagement should be pointed out. They all belittle what I am doing.

Every day I carry a flower in my pocket, I am very fond of flowers. ..Our ruler is so timid.