Irom Sharmila turns 41, but her struggle continues
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 13 2013: Known for her unprecedented will power of not taking even a morsel of food or drinking a drop of water for more than 12 years now in pursuance of her demand for repealing Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, Irom Chanu Sharmila would turn 41 years tomorrow.

A birthday may be an occasion for celebration with family, friends and relatives, but not for 'Mengoubi', as Sharmila is lovingly called her family members, whom she has not met, expect for her elder brother Irom Singhajit, since the day she stepped out of the house on that fateful day of November 4, 2000 for launching the now world record breaking longest fast against an legislation that gives sweeping power to armed security personnel to take away the Right to Life of the people in some select parts of the country with no question allowed to be asked.

It was the November 2, 2000 massacre at Malom in which Assam Rifles mowed down 10 innocent people including an old woman and National bravery awardee kid that prompted Sharmila, a true follower of Mahatma Gandhi's principle of non-violence, to launch her fast unto death stir and say no to the atrocities committed by the armed security personnel with virtual immunity assured under Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Irom Sharmila, on March 03 2013 at Imphal Airport : Photo by Deepak Oinam

Sharmila grew up neither a person who surfs through the TV channels for 'Dramebaaz' nor is she a woman familiar with glitz and glamour of 'Girl power'.

But today, her courage and steadfastness towards a cause dear to all the people in AFSPA-States has left the entire establishment of Indian Army worried and shaken.

Soon after Sharmila began her non- violent protest, she was arrested and charged with attempt to commit suicide under Section 309 of Indian Penal Code, which says that a person who attempts to commit suicide is punishable with simple imprisonment for term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both.

As her health deteriorated from refusal to eat or drink anything, the perturbed Manipur Government remanded her to judicial custody to keep her alive through forced nose-feed at the security ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS).

Since then, at the end of her term under judicial custody every year, it has been an annual ritual for the Government to set free Sharmila and then re-arrest her when she resumes her fast.

In the latest ritual, Sharmila was released from judicial custody on March 12, 2013.But she went straight to the office of 'Sharmila Kanba Lup' located nearby to resume her fast.

"I know, I will be arrested again, like they always do.

And they also know that I will go on fasting until AFSPA is removed from Manipur completely," Sharmila said in her usual soft-spoken tone while talking to her friends Faizal Khan, Arbind Murthy and Deepak Joshi, who have come from other parts of the country to support her cause.

A day after her release from the judicial custody, a team of police personnel came along with doctors and nurses at the makeshift office of Sharmila Kanba Lup' to check the condition of her health, but Sharmila was seen shooing them away, saying, "You have no right to harass me today or feed me forcefully and break my fast.

I am already released; I am a free bird for today.

Please go away and leave me in peace.

Come back only when you have an arrest order for me" .

But the police and the medical team had their way and conducted medical check of Sharmila.

Moved by the visible sign of weakness writ all over the wearied yet smiling face of Sharmila, one bystander was heard loud enough to be heard by the report, "Alas! She would be rearrested again and kept confined in the security ward of JNIMS without allowing anyone to visit as usual" .

During her appearance in Patiala Court at Delhi, Sharmila pleaded with tears, "I desire to live, I love life.

I don't want to die.

I just want to live like a human being�what I am doing is following the principal of Mahatma Gandhi.

If AFSPA is repealed I will take food." But is there anybody, who is listening to the cries of Sharmila? .