An end to 16 years of strike against Army : Irom Sharmila to break fast today

Imphal, Aug 9 : Manipuri political activist Irom Sharmila will break her 16-year long hunger strike against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act on Tuesday.

Sharmila has been campaigning against AFSPA — which provides special powers to handle insurgents in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir also.

The 42-year-old activist, also known as Manipur’s ‘Iron Lady’ had announced on July 26 to end her hunger strike on August 9, the next date of her court hearing.

She made the announcement in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal west, L. Tonsing.

Sharmila also announced that she will marry and contest the Manipur assembly elections next year as an independent candidate.

She was termed a ‘Prisoner of conscience’ by Amnesty International and recipient of various prizes. Sharmila has declined food or drink for the last 16 years, seeking repeal of the controversial AFSPA. She is on forcible nose feeding.

The family and her supporters, who have not been able to meet her since July 26 when she announced her decision to end her fast and enter politics to ensure that AFSPA is repealed through political means, have no idea where she is going to stay from now on.

“We don’t know where she will go after her release. If she wants to come home and stay with us, we are ready to welcome her. But it is her desire,” her brother said.
Local activist Kshetrimayum Onil, who has been associated with Ms Sharmila for a long time, said they tried many times but failed to meet her to discuss the future strategy on AFSPA. “The government rules say that to meet her we have to apply at least one month before. We tried but failed to set up a meeting,” he said.

On November 2, 2000, an Assam Rifles battalion had allegedly killed 10 civilians in a village near Imphal. Three days later, Ms Sharmila embarked on her fast demanding revocation of AFSPA, which allows security men to even kill a person on suspicion without the fear of facing a trial in court.

She was arrested by the Manipur government in 2000 under section 309 of the Indian Penal Code, which prohibits an attempt to commit suicide.