Movements of Irom Sharmila's and Anna Hazare's

N Nripen Singh *

Two crusaders : Anna Hazare and Irom Sharmila - Pix: :: TSE

The recent movements undertaken by Ms. Irom Sharmila and Mr. Anna Hazare are of very important considering their aims and objectives. Anna Hazare's recent movement rocked both the Houses of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha - the highest law making bodies of India.

Sharmila's decade fasting demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) from Manipur has no support from the State and Central Governments. Thus dumped the Fundamental Rights of the people of Manipur being kept in the cold storage of both the houses of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The citizens of India need to consider which one of the two movements has more significance in the interest of the entire population of India. The Act of 1958 was imposed in Manipur since 1980; some reported cases of atrocities committed by the security forces personals behind the screen of the Act of 1958.

Few lists of atrocities committed by security forces under the AFSPA in Manipur are as follows :

1. Extra Judicial Execution: from 1980 to 2006 numbered 68 persons including two women. .... and many more;
2. Torture: from 1980 to 2006 numbered 49 people. ..... and many more;
3. Enforced Disappearance: from 1980 to 1994 numbered 15 persons......and many more;
4. Massacre: from 1984 to 2000 numbered 110 persons.... and many more;
5. Rape: from 1974 to 2004 numbered 10 females (6 virgins + 4 married)...and many more.

IROM SHARMILA

On 2nd November 2000 when the Indian security forces committed extra judicial execution of ten innocent civilians at Malom, Ms. Irom Sharmila (28 years old aspiring poet) resolved to fast until the draconian law is completely scrapped. She was imprisoned for her protest and has been surviving on nasal feeding for more than a decade now.

However, with every passing moment, her determination for an AFSPA free state is moving ever stronger. Sharmila yearns for peace and she realizes that the real peace comes only through justice. As a result of excessive activities of the armed forces personals under the AFSPA in Manipur, Manipuri women decried the security forces for creating a land of widows.

The gross violation of human rights committed by security forces especially the violence against women invoke Manipuri women naked protest in front of the 4th Assam Rifles western gate of Kangla in the heart of Imphal city on 15th July 2004, challenging the security forces to rape the protestors.

The occurrence was the second one in the history of the world; the first was American naked women demonstrated before the White House to stop sending their husbands and betrothed ones to Korea.

The above facts show clearly that Sharmila's movement against AFSPA is of international significance. The Capitalist monopolies rule the countries and barred the Fundamental Rights of human being throughout the world, including people of Manipur. In the capitalist monopoly rules state venting the ways and means openly and freely to flourish corruption in these countries, which result involvement in corrupt practices by the highest authorities in the fields of economy and politicsas appeared in numbers of media.

To mention few such corrupt practices in India like the Kargil Coffin Scam, Commonwealth Game, the present 2-G Scam etc. In order to find out a true picture of such corruption, the CBI grills the involved persons like the Central Minister Mr. Suresh Kalmadi in connection with the misappropriation of Funds of Commonwealth Games, Mr. A Raja, and Member of Parliament in connection with the 2-G Scam etc. are very glaring example. It is appeared in the media that the case of Mr. Suresh Kalmadi is likely to drop from the case due to his dementia.

Mr. Anna - please try to convince your good-self that the workers are the real producers of the needs of the entire humanity. They built civilization. Yet, when they demand high wages, better working conditions, health insurance etc. they are suppressed and jailed under fetters and kept without trials.

If India ever had a place like Siberia they should have been exiled there that was done by the Czar of Russia.

One last question is that: Is there any difference between the regime of Czarist Russia of 18th century and of present Indian government?

In Hindi the common people address the rulers/officials as mai-bap, and why there is no close relationship between the two? Instead the mai-bapis heavily guarded by Z category security- what is wrong with the mai-bap ? You need to think deeply.

Mr. Anna might have full conviction of "Satyameva Jayate" inscribed in the Ashok Chakra - the emblem of India.

The inscription is only a philosophical phrase which has nothing to do with the poor masses of India. So the best and the lasting movement on your part in the interest of the unemployed, half-starve hungry millions - and proceed to serve them for their better future, chalk out your necessary programmes, Acts and actions, move forward without hesitation.

Mr. Anna, I prefer your valued action to the interest of the million of masses who are facing unemployment, hunger and chaos in their lives in lieu of supporting the interest of the wealthy few.