On the 2nd of November 2000, ten innocent lives were lost to random firing of the trigger happy personnel of Assam Rifles.

As done in previous tragedies of such magnitude that occurred in the Heirangoi-thong play ground, RIMS campus, the impression of many at that point of time were that after condemnation poured in the Newspapers, strikes or bandhs for some days, Wakat Meephams (Dharnas) at several places, negotiations for ex-gratias, the tragedies would be forgotten just like that of a stone thrown into the pond.

When a stone is thrown into a pond, it made a splash at the point of contact and there widening ripples and then the ripples grow fainter and fainter as it travels and after some moment the pond is as calm as if the stone has never been thrown into. Like that when there is atrocities leading to death in the hands of the security forces, there are splashes of protest, ripples of bandhs but it dies down as time goes on.

But on the 5th November, 2000 just after three days of the Malom incident, a bright star appeared and began to illuminate in the eastern horizon of North East India.

She is Irom Sharmila Chanu, a girl in her prime of life who vows not to take even a single drop of water until the dreaded Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958 is totally repealed from the State of Manipur, what a challenge from a tender heart!

News spread like fire on that day and reached every ear. With numb, shock, awe and pain. A girl named Sharmila came at the site of the massacre, a bus waiting shed in Malom to fast unto death until AFSPA-1958 is totally lifted.

The challenge and determination of the girl was taken as wild and ridiculous by many including the families of the victims. Because it is a Herculean task, the fight of a David against a Goliath, and many took it as a kind of fun and even mocked and sneered at her.

On the spot, a youth even took out her veil from her head and laughed at her by saying, 'She appears to be a mad girl'. A man even came forward and told the gatherings that such action of a mad woman would bring the ire of the security forces and he further offered his bullock cart to lift the girl and throw out of the locality.

But the girl with a heart so soft as a tender flower but her determination as firm as the solid rock never said a word and went on fasting.

On the third day of her hunger strike, she was arrested on the charge of attempt to commit suicide and put her into Sajiwa jail.

Her refusal to take food in the jail, shifting to JN Hospital, the nose feeding, repeated release on bail and her persistent fast unto death irrespective of time and place is a history now. She is struggling for the last six years.

Who is Sharmila:

Irom Chanu Sharmila was born on March 14, 1972 at about 7 pm at Kongpal Kongkham Leikai in Imphal East district. She is the ninth sibling of late Irom Nanda Singh and Irom Ongbi Sakhi Devi.

Sharmila has got five brothers and three sisters. She is the youngest of all. It is said that when Sharmila stepped first into this world from her mother's womb, a strong storm swept in the entire locality as if signalling the coming of an avatar or a legendary figure.

Sharmila had her first schooling at Khanglabung Child Centre, Khurai Soibam Leikai. There she read from Nursery to Class-V. Then she enrolled into Class-VI in Ananda Singh Academy and passed her Class X Examination from the school.

She then admitted into Ibotonsana Girls' Higher Secondary School, Imphal and passed the Class XII examination.

She is a woman of integrity - of strict, untemptable or at least unbreakable integrity. She is at the same time shy and introvert in nature preferring to talk less.

She takes decision after due consideration in her mind about the consequence. But once she is determined, once she has uttered her desire to do something it automatically changes to adamant.

She writes poems, writes articles in the newspaper. She is a social worker, a social reformer, a journalist and above all a humanist.

She cries - 'I want to wake up in the land where there is no black law. I don't want to die but only feed me when the black law is lifted'.

Sharmila, the whole of Manipur, the whole of peace loving people in the world is behind you. May a thousand year be your age.

You have stood up for something in life and for something for the society.

It seems to me that there is only one real and proper way to live a fruitful life, and that is to do thing you are meant to be doing now.

The wall of Indian Parliament is not so strong enough to shield your voice.

Let the whole world know what you are fighting for.