Tracing the Iron Lady's path from activism to politics.
Irom Sharmila, also known as Manipur's 'Iron Lady', on Tuesday announced her decision to end her fast to repeal the Armed Forced Special Powers Act (AFSPA) Act. Irom, who has been on a hunger strike for the last 16 years, will end her fast on August 9.
Here is a look at her journey and the struggles she faced in the 16 long years of her protest.
HOW HER JOURNEY BEGAN:
Irom was active in fighting for social causes since her college days and is known to have participated in rallies to protest against violation of civil rights. Irom was a human rights volunteer at 'Independent People Inquiry Commission' just before she began her hunger strike.
It was the bloody massacre in November 2000 in Malom (in Manipur), that triggered her fight to revoke the AFSPA Act. In the Malom massacre, 10 civilians were shot dead allegedly by the Assam Rifles. Following this incident, an outraged Irom announced a fast unto death unless AFSPA is revoked.
Not just food, Irom's fast also included a vow not to drink, comb her hair or even look in a mirror until AFSPA was repealed.
HER STRUGGLE:
Three days after her protest, Irom was arrested for 'attempt to commit suicide'. During her judicial custody she was force-fed through a tube attached to her nose, also known as nasogastric intubation.
Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia
After she was released, Irom went on a hunger strike once again and was re-arrested. This process of arrest and release has continued every year since 2000.
In October 2006, Irom was in Raj Ghat to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary. On the same day, Irom started her protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the Central Government to revoke the AFSPA Act. Several students and activists joined Irom in her protest in the national capital. However, Delhi Police arrested her under the charges of attempting suicide.
During her custody, Irom wrote to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, then President APJ Abdul Kalam and the then Home Minister Shivraj Patil appealing them to revoke the Act in Manipur.
In the last 16 years, Irom has written several letters to Prime Ministers and Presidents with her appeal.
Irom was recently released from judicial custody on March 28, 2016 following which she went on to continue her fast once again.
She is forcibly fed through a nasal tube in Imphal's Jawahar Lal Nehru Hospital, a special ward of which acts as her prison.
ABOUT AFSPA ACT :
AFSPA Act, 1958 allows security men to even kill a person on suspicion without the fear of facing a trial in court. The United Nations has questioned the constitutionality of AFSPA under Indian law. In 2009 & 2012, the UN asked India to repeal AFSPA.
SUPPORT FROM VARIOUS QUARTERS:
In 2006, Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi came out in support of Irom. Ebadi promised to take up Sharmila's cause at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Several political parties have extended support to Irom too, however, nothing has fructified.
The Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC) was launched in 2011 to highlight Irom's struggle. It is a joint network of civil societies including NAPM, Gandhi Global Family, Asha Parivar, Mission Bhartiyam, Jagriti Mahila Samiti, Yuva Koshish, Asian Centre of Social Studies, Civil Rights and Social Justice Society (CRSJS) and others.
On the 11th anniversary of her fast, Pune University announced a scholarship program for 39 female students from Manipur to take up degree courses in honour of Irom Sharmila.
FORAY INTO POLITICS:
On July 26, 2016, Irom announced that she was ending her 16-year-old fast in August 9 and will contest the elections from Manipur.
Irom said that she no longer believes that her fast will lead to the repeal of the "draconian" AFSPA but she will continue the fight. "That is why I will join politics and my fight will continue," said Irom.
Assembly elections in Manipur are scheduled in 2017.
LOVE AND MARRIAGE:
Irom fell in love with writer and activist Desmond Coutinho, a British citizen of Goan origin. In an interview to The Telegraph in 2011, Irom said that while she was in love, her supporters were against the idea of her getting married.
Irom says in the interview that Desmond's letters and thoughts made her fall for him and she has carefully kept them in a box by her bedside. Eventually, the two got engaged. After her announcement to end her fast on July 26, 2016, Irom expressed her desire to get married after coming out of prison on August 9.
AWARDS AND HONOUR:
In 2007, Irom was awarded the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, for promoting Peace, Democracy and Human Rights. In 2009, the first ever Mayillama Award for achievement of her non-violent struggle in Manipur was awarded to Irom.
In 2010, the Asian Human Rights Commission awarded her with the lifetime achievement award for her protest.
In 2012, the North East Network, a women's right organisation, nominated her for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Other than these, the Iron Lady has also been honoured with the Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize, Sarva Gunah Sampannah Award for Peace and Harmony and Adivasi Ratna Award.
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