Irom Sharmila released, continues fast
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 13 2014 : Sharmila who has been crusading against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act has completed another one year prison term and she was duly released today.

Sharmila has been charged of attempting to commit suicide.

Stating that she is committed to continuing with the struggle, Sharmila appealed to all the people not to put the onus of repealing AFSPA on her shoulder alone.

The demand to repeal AFSPA can be achieved if all the people struggle together in unison, she said.

Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Imphal East today declared that Sharmila has completed one year prison term and set her free.

She was lodged in prison under Section 309 of IPC on the charge of attempting to commit suicide.

She was re-arrested on March 13, 2013 .

Since then, she has been judicial custody after every 15 days and she completed one full year today.

She was released from JNIMS security ward at 5.30 pm today.

Sharmila released, continues fast

Soon after her release, she was escorted by the Sharmila Kanba Lup to their protest venue.

There Sharmila resumed her fast against the infamous Act.

There she said, "I will continue with my struggle and I would not go home without achieving victory" .

Notably, Sharmila launched her unprecedented campaign against AFSPA after Assam Rifles massacred 10 civilians at Malom on November 2, 2000.Sharmila was then 28 years old.

It is more than 14 years and three years since Sharmila launched her crusade against the draconian Act and she is now 42 .

She categorically stated that the demand to repeal AFSPA is not her personal interest but for the rights and security of all the people.

"The Government is refusing to act on the repeal AFSPA demand because I've been segregated from the public by giving me different titles like Lairembi, Nura Temshingnabi etc", Sharmila said.

"For the past 14 years, Court would release me and then police would re-arrest and the cycle goes on.

All the while, people have been watching this cycle as if it is some festival" .

"If there is unity, we can certainly wipe out an evil and promote the virtuous one," she asserted.

She further disclosed that Chief Minister O Ibobi visited her in JNIMS security ward on February 4 this year and invited her to join Congress party so that her demand for repeal of AFSPA can be achieved.

Ibobi reportedly informed Sharmila that AFSPA was released from seven Assembly segments of Imphal Municipal area amidst stiff opposition from Government of India in view of her struggle.

"I'm a protester, not a politician.

The demand to repeal AFSPA was not fulfilled when the same Act was repealed from the seven Assembly segments," Sharmila told the Chief Minister.

Commenting on the public meetings held in different parts of the State which make the same demand of repealing AFSPA, Sharmila called upon all the people to make the same demand collectively when she is out of jail.

"Hit the iron when it is hot", she said.

Sharmila Kanba Lup convenor Taruni asked the Government how long it would torture Sharmila.