Irom Chanu Sharmila
Irom Sharmila Chanu | |
---|---|
Born |
Kongpal, Imphal, Manipur, India | 14 March 1972
Nationality | Indian |
Occupation | Civil rights activist, Political activist, Poet |
Known for | Hunger strike against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 |
Parents |
Irom c Nanda (father) Irom Ongbi Sakhi (mother) |
Irom Sharmila Chanu (born 14 March 1972), also known as the "Iron Lady of Manipur" or "Mengoubi" ("the fair one")[1] is a civil rights activist, political activist, and poet from the Indian state of Manipur. On 2 November 2000, she began a hunger strike which is still ongoing. Having refused food and water for more than 500 weeks, she has been called "the world's longest hunger striker".[2] She is currently on trial for attempted suicide.
Beginning of fast
On 2 November 2000, in Malom, a town in the Imphal Valley of Manipur, ten civilians were shot and killed while waiting at a bus stop. The incident, known as the "Malom Massacre",[3][4] was allegedly committed by the Assam Rifles, one of the Indian Paramilitary forces operating in the state.[5][6] The victims included Leisangbam Ibetombi, a 62-year old woman, and 18-year old Sinam Chandramani, a 1988 National Child Bravery Award winner.[6]
Sharmila, who was 28 at the time, began to fast in protest of the killings, taking neither food nor water.[7] As her brother Irom Singhajit Singh recalled, "It was a Thursday. Sharmila used to fast on Thursdays since she was a child. That day she was fasting too. She has just continued with her fast"
Three days after she began her strike, she was arrested by the police and charged with an "attempt to commit suicide",[8] which is unlawful under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and was later transferred to judicial custody. Her health deteriorated rapidly, and nasogastric intubation was forced on her in order to keep her alive while under arrest.[2]
Continued activism
Irom Sharmila has been regularly released and re-arrested every year since her hunger strike began[9] under IPC section 309. The law declares that a person who "attempts to commit suicide ... shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year [or with fine, or with both]."[10]
Her primary demand to the Indian government is the complete repeal of the AFSPA[8] which has been blamed for violence in Manipur and other parts of northeast India.[7][9]
By 2004, Sharmila had become an "icon of public resistance."[5] Following her procedural release on 2 October 2006 Irom Sharmila Chanu went to Raj Ghat, New Delhi, which she said was "to pay floral tribute to my idol, Mahatma Gandhi." Later that evening, Sharmila headed for Jantar Mantar for a protest demonstration where she was joined by students, human rights activists and other concerned citizens.[7]
On 6 October, she was re-arrested by the Delhi police for attempting suicide and was taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where she wrote letters to the Prime Minister, the President, and the Home Minister.[7] At this time, she met and won the support of Nobel-laureate Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Laureate and human rights activist, who promised to take up Sharmila's cause at the United Nations Human Rights Council.[7]
In 2011, she invited anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare to visit Manipur,[11] and Hazare sent two representatives to meet with her.[12]
In October 2011, the Manipur Pradesh All India Trinamool Congress announced their support for Sharmila and called on party chief Mamata Banerjee to help repeal the AFSPA.[13] The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) (CPI ML) also stated its support for her and for repeal of AFSPA, calling for nationwide agitation.[14] In November, at the end of the eleventh year of her fast, Sharmila again called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to repeal the law.[15] On 3 November, 100 women formed a human chain in Ambari to show support for Sharmila, while other civil society groups staged a 24-hour fast in a show of solidarity.[16]
In December 2011, Pune University announced a scholarship program for 39 female Manipuri students to take degree courses in honour of Irom Sharmila Chanu's 39 years of age.[17]
On 2 October 2013 Amnesty India issued a press release recognising Irom Sharmila as a "'Prisoner of Conscience', who is being held solely for a peaceful expression of her beliefs." [18]
Current legal battle
Irom Sharmila continues to face the charge of attempted suicide. She is being held in enforced isolation which the National Human Rights Commission of India has recommended for the Manipur government to immediately stop.[19] A summons has been issued for Sharmila Chanu to appear for trial on 19 December 2013.[20]
Since the maximum sentence for attempted suicide is one year and she has been held for more than six years she has been told the case will be settled if she pleads guilty. However, she maintains she has not attempted suicide, but is protesting in the "most non-violent way, like Mahatma Gandhi." [20]
International attention
Sharmila was awarded the 2007 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, which is given to "an outstanding person or group, active in the promotion and advocacy of Peace, Democracy and Human Rights".[21] She shared the award with Lenin Raghuvanshi of People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights, a northeastern Indian human rights organization.[21]
In 2009, she was awarded the first Mayillama Award of the Mayilamma Foundation "for achievement of her nonviolent struggle in Manipur".[22]
In 2010, she won a lifetime achievement award from the Asian Human Rights Commission.[23] Later that year, she won the Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize of the Indian Institute of Planning and Management, which came with a cash award of 5,100,000 rupees,[24] and the Sarva Gunah Sampannah "Award for Peace and Harmony" from the Signature Training Centre.[25]
Works based on her life
Deepti Priya Mehrotra's Burning Bright: Irom Sharmila and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur details Sharmila's life and the political background of her fast.[26]
Ojas S V, a theater artist from Pune, performed a mono-play titled Le Mashale ("Take the Torch"), based on Irom Sharmila's life and struggle. It is an adaptation of Meira Paibi (Women bearing torches), a drama written by Malayalam playwright Civic Chandran. The play was performed at several venues in several Indian states.[27][28]
References
- ↑ Rituparna Chatterjee (20 April 2011). "Spot the Difference: Hazare vs. Irom Sharmila". Sinlung. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Andrew Buncombe (4 November 2010). "A decade of starvation for Irom Sharmila". The Independent. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
- ↑ Anjuman Ara Begum (3 November 2010). "AFSPA and Unsolved massacres in Manipur". Twocircles.net. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ↑ Imphal Free Press (2 November 2013). "Malom Massacre horror relived 13 years later". http://kanglaonline.com/. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Nilanjana S. Roy (8 February 2011). "Torchbearers for Victims in a Violent Land". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Rahul Pathak (6 August 2004). "Why Malom is a big reason for Manipur anger against Army Act". The Indian Express. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Shoma Chaudhury (5 December 2009). "Irom And The Iron In India’s Soul". Tehelka. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Bagchi, Suvojit (19 September 2006). "Manipur woman's marathon fast". BBC News, Manipur. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Manipur Fasting Woman Re-arrested". BBC News. 9 March 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
- ↑ Section 309 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860
- ↑ Vidya Subramaniam (28 August 2011). "Irom Sharmila urges Anna to visit Manipur". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ↑ "Highlights of Anna Hazare's interview to NDTV". NDTV. 13 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ↑ "Mamata's help sought for raising voice against AFSPA". The Times of India. 17 October 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
- ↑ "CPI (ML) to show solidarity to Sharmila with nation-wide agitation". Imphal Free Press via Kanglaonline. 29 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ↑ "PM should realize I am struggling for people: Irom". The Times of India. Times News Network. 4 November 2011. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ↑ "Civil society groups in state back Irom's cause". The Times of India. Times News Network. 3 November 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
- ↑ "Scholarship for Manipuri girl students in Sharmila's honour". The Times of India. 10 December 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
- ↑ Manash Pratim Gohai (Oct 2, 2013). "Irom Sharmila Chanu must be immediately released, Amnesty India says". Times Of India. Retrieved 2013-11-08.
- ↑ "Remove restrictions on Irom Sharmila: NHRC". Business Standard. 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2013-11-08.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Court asks Irom Sharmila to appear on Dec 19". Business Standard. 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2013-11-08.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Gwangju Prize for Human Rights". 18 May Memorial Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
- ↑ Sobhapati Samom (1 March 2010). "Kerala activists promise support to Irom Sharmila". Assam Tribune. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
- ↑ "Human rights defender awarded for lifetime achievement". Asian Human Rights Commission. 29 January 2010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
- ↑ "Irom Sharmila awarded Rabindranath Tagore peace award". dnaindia.com. 12 September 2010. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ↑ "Sharmila Conferred Peace Award". manipuronline.com. 27 December 2010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
- ↑ Laxmi Murthy (December 2009). "Reluctant heroine: 'Burning Bright' by Deepti Priya Mehrotra". Himal South Asian. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ↑ T. Saravanan (11 February 2011). "For a noble cause". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ↑ Shalini Umachandran (12 February 2011). "Single act that captures a dozen wounds of Manipur". The Times of India. Times News Network. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.