Tag Archives: Irom Sharmila

Irom Sharmila

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Irom Sharmila apears before the court on the 28th May 2014.

Irom Sharmila sitting in the police vehicle outside the Patiala House Court.

 

'The Iron Lady', being captured by the press as she leaves the court.

‘The Iron Lady’, captured by the press as she left the court.

 

Protestors outside Gate No 1 of the Patiala House.

Protestors outside Gate No 1 of the Patiala House.

 

Irom Chanu Sharmila, appeared before the Delhi court yesterday, May 28th 2014. Sharmila who has been on a thirteen year long fast for the repeal of AFSPA, in 2006  went on a fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar – faces the charges of ‘attempt to commit suicide’. Each year she is released, as under the law she can only be held for a period of a year, for this offense but then gets rearrested due to her continual fast. The Iron Lady told the court that she was fasting for the atrocities that the people of Manipur are facing, for repeal of the draconian law- Armed Forces Special Powers Act and  denied trying to commit suicide.”I love my life very much”, she stated.

 

 

The March Against AFSPA

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March at Jantar Mantar

Repeal AFSPA march at Jantar Mantar

 

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A young Manipuri girl wearing a t-shirt in support of Irom Sharmila, an activist who went on a hunger strike in Nov 2000 as a means of protest.

 

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A young student holding a painting of the ‘Iron Lady Of Manipur’. Mengoubi (fair one) as she is also known, has been released and re-arrested many times. She was arrested from Jantar Mantar in 2006.

AFSPA- Even a teenager in a Kashmir knows what AFSPA stands for. The Armed Forces Special Power Act meant nothing to this Dilli ka Girl. But the past few years that I’ve spent in Kashmir have made a dent on my psyche.  I am not  a supporter of the Kashmiri’s struggle for independence or of the Indian States instance on holding on to it. I claim myself a wanderer, a kind of observer; just reflecting. So this is me reflecting. How would we feel if our houses were searched without  warrants, we were arrested without warrants and once in a while our loved ones would just disappear- without us knowing whether they were dead or alive? Are we going to wish away  the collective anger of the people of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Kashmir; in the hope that it will have no repercussions on our coming generations?

 

A march was organised at  Jantar Mantar today, against AFSPA. A number of organisations  like-  Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign, AIPWA, DSF, The Voices against 377 etc came together to mobilize the civil society. The pictures are from the March.

 

 

One of the few Kashmiri youth at the march. This is what he had to say to me-''You people just want our resources our land but not us.''

One of the few Kashmiri youth at the march. This is what he had to say to me-”You people just want our resources and our land but not us!”

 

 

 

Deepti Sharma from The Voices Against 377, has been supporting the cause since 2000.

Deepti Sharma from-The Voices Against 377, has been supporting the cause, since 2000.

Protesters at the March

Protesters at the March