Hunger strike in support of Irom Sanu Sharmila
Assam’s various indigenous tribes and communities unified under Assam Sanmilita MahaSangha (ASM) sat for an 11 hour long sit in hunger strike demonstration outside the Dispur Secretariat today to commiserate with Manipur’s Birangana Irom Sanu Sharmila’s demand to scrap the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958. Iron Lady Sharmila is on indefinite hunger strike since the year 2000 completing 11 years almost to do away with the Black Act.
In a Press Release the MahaSangha stated that the AFSPA 1958 is a direct copy of the British Empire’s 1942 Special Military Power Act. The colonial Britons imposed this Act to suppress India’s Mass Movement of 1942. After the Britons, the Government of free India first imposed this Black Act in the year 1958 to suppress the Naga Retaliation. Currently, this Black Act is in use in the states of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Jammu & Kashmir. According to this act an ordinary constable can shoot down anyone he concludes to be an enemy of the state. Inhuman unhindered murders perpetrated under AFPSA 1958 are still in continuation by a free country’s Police and Armed Forces.
The Government of India under pressure from different Human Rights bodies constituted the Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission and ordered a study report. The Justice Reddy Commission in 147 pages suggested the Government of India to scrap this act. However, the Government of India’s blind eye to the Reddy Commission’s suggestion appears very much ill-fated and condemnable.
Birangana Irom Sanu Sharmila was born on 14th March 1972 in Uripak, Manipur. Her Father Irom Nanda Singh is a fourth grade employee with the State Veterinary Department. Her mother is Irom Angbi Sakhi Devi. Sharmila passed her intermediate from Ibotonsama Higher Secondary School.
On 2nd November 2000 Assam Rifles Jawans in Malam village indiscriminately fired and killed 10 Manipuri youths. Seeing all this 39 year old Sharmila on 5th November 2000 resorted to an indefinite hunger strike at the same spot where the Assam Rifles Jawans killed the 10 youths; her demand, scrapping off of the AFPSA 1958. The very next day on 6th November 2000 the Manipur Government arrested her under 309 IPC but released her finally. Once free, Sharmila continued her hunger strike again. After a decade of repeated arrests and releases, fasting Sharmila at present is under arrest at the Manipur Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital and is being forcibly fed through nozzle drips by the authorities.
ASM Working President said that the Assam Sanmilita MahaSangha (ASM) has been demanding the scrapping off of this act since 2007. 14th March being Sharmila’s birthday the ASM wished her revolutionary greetings and at the same time showing solidarity the ASM along with its members and representatives of the Nikihl Rabha Jatiya Parishad, the All Assam Goriya Moriya Desi Jatiya Parishad, the Kamrup District Manipuri Sahitya Sabha, Meira Paiba to name a few sat in for an 11 hour long hunger strike at Last Gate grounds outside the Dispur Secretariat.
With its 11 hour long sit in hunger strike demo the Assam Sanmilita MahaSangha have communicated its demand-appellate for the repeal of AFPSA 1958 through Assam Chief Minister Shri Tarun Gogoi to the President of India Smt. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Minister for Home Shri. P Chidambaram.
Random Stories
30 Jul 2016 - 12:47pm |
AT News
The overall flood scene refuses to improve on Saturday where the toll has gone up to 36 following the death of 8 more people on Friday alone. The river Brahmaputra and its tributaries have still...
19 May 2009 - 1:24pm |
editor
Barely a few hours after the killing of 6 NDFB cadres during an encounter in Karbi Anglong, unidentified miscreants gunned down four persons of a same family of a Congress ward commissioner in Diphu...
28 Sep 2015 - 8:22pm |
AT News
Not even a single body has so far been fished out from the river Kolohi after an overcrowded machine boat met with a mishap in the outskirt of Guwahati on Monday.SDFR personnel deployed in the rescue...
3 Jan 2018 - 10:21am |
Ranjan K Baruah
GUWAHATI: The Old Boys Association of Sainik School Goalpara (OBA SSG) has taken up the beautification of six mile fly over by managing the traffic island garden at the fly over. Two traffic island...
Other Contents by Author
In a joint evening communiqué terming it the pursuance of truth and common cause of liberation and to enhance the progress for the National Liberation Movement of WESEA, Coordination Committee (CorCom) of People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Progressive), Revolutionary People’s Front and United National Liberation Front and United Liberation Front of Asom [ULFA-Independent], a constituent member of United National Liberation Front of WESEA (UNLFW) claimed responsibility of a Joint Military Operation code named “BARAK” launched against army personnel stationed at Panegre. A joint team attacked the 15 Kumaon Regiment at Burhi Dihing,...
The Special Olympics Bharat, Assam Chapter Sunday kicked off its Community Coaches' Training Program at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Sarusajai, Guwahati in a bit to implement the New Scheme. The New Scheme for the promotion of sports for Persons with Disabilities is a unique step taken by the Government not just for the growth and development of sports for the specially challenged, but because the initiative represents a major step against discrimination and reaffirms the strong policy of the Government in supporting the cause of inclusive sports. Special Olympics Bharat has been recognized as the nodal agency for the implementation of the New Scheme since the year 2010.The...
WWF’s Living Planet Report 2016 predicts decline of global wildlife populations by an average of 67 per cent in the timeline between 1970 and 2020, as a result of human activities. The report indicates that global populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles have already declined by 58 per cent between 1970 and 2012, the most recent year with available data. This places the world on a trajectory of a potential two-thirds decline within a span of the half-century ending in 2020.The report also highlights the magnitude of human impact on the planet and highlights the changes needed in the way society is fed and fuelled.“Wildlife is disappearing within our lifetimes at an...
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) will co-organize the World Mountain Forum 2016- ‘Mountains for our Future’ to be held in Mbale, Uganda from October 17-20, 2016. ICIMOD will lead the organisation in the ‘Mountains and Climate Change’ session and present a keynote speech providing an overview on global climate concerns with specific focus on the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region.In addition, ICIMOD will facilitate the session ‘Mountain Communities and Livelihoods’, and launch the publication ‘Towards an Integrated Approach to Nutrition Security in the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region’.The outcomes of the World Mountain Forum 2016 are expected to inform the...
Bhraaz Kashyap (Class VIII) and Krishti Nayana Nath (Class VI) from Don Bosco School Guwahati came out as National Champions by representing Assam in the WWF Wild Wisdom Quiz National Final held at the WWF-India, Secretariat, New Delhi on Thursday, October 6.
After having garnered much appreciation for its sartorial splendor in India’s best fashion based reality show, ‘India’s Next Top Model 2’ culminated on a high note with Patna girl, Pranati Rai Prakash taking home the coveted title while Jantee Hazarika and Subhamit Banerjee followed her as First and Second runners-up.The Indian version of the CBS sensation 'America's Next Top Model' created by Tyra Banks was launched in India last year by license holder and producer Bulldog Media & Entertainment. Pranati who was always ready for a new challenge with her lively attitude along with the two finalists, the crazy curly haired firebrand Subhamita Banerjee (Kolkata) and the dusky temptress...
The gorgeous ‘Gorkhali Gabhuru’ and pride of North East Rewati Chetri was Sunday crowned Miss International India 2016 in its first edition of the beauty pageant that took place at Novotel Hotel in Pune. She bagged the title defeating 16 other contestants and will now represent India at the Miss International 2016 pageant happening next month in Tokyo, Japan. Twenty three year old Rewati was born to Baburam Chetri and Mrs. Bina Chetri born and broup up in a small town of Haflong, Assam. She attended her schooling from St. Agnes’ Convent High School, Haflong and graduated in commerce degree from Lumding College, Lumding. The full-time supermodel and also an actress, was a top 10...
It was in July when Assam Times' Syed Miraz Ahmed chatted up with Jantee Hazarika, the dusky model from Assam when she made it to the Top 10 at India’s Next Top Model Season 2 launched by MTV. Now after over a month of rigorous training, challenging photoshoots, tasks, episodes and the rush to do better than before, a vivacious, frank Jantee Hazarika is pitted against two contenders at Top 3. Syed tries to catch up on some tid bits before the grand finalé.After a month long journey competing against the best aspiring models in the country, India’s Next Top Model Season 2 has finally found its Top 3. Bong beauty Subhamita Banerjee, pride of North East (Guwahati) Jantee Hazarika...
A solidarity action expressing deep respect for Irom Sharmila and supporting the ongoing struggle for justice by civil society in Manipur, was organized Tuesday at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The solidarity event saw a large turn-out of over a hundred people, despite a rainy day. Participants included women’s movement activists Shanti, Runu Chakraborty and Nandini Rao; author of Irom Sharmila’s biography “Burning Bright” Deepti Priya Mehrotra; human rights activists Devika Mittal, Ravi Nitesh, Shruti Achesh and Rita Manchanda; historian Uma Chakravarty; Monisha Behl of North-East Network; senior journalists Pamela Philipose and Sujata Madhok (President, Delhi Union of Working Journalists...
The United National Liberation Front of WESEA [UNLFW], the Co-ordination Committee [CorCom], Manipur, the Garo National Liberation Army [GNLA] and the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council [HNLC] has called for the boycott of India’s 70th Independence Day with a total shut down.In a joint statement the groups condemned what they term as ‘continuous racist attacks’ on citizens of Western South Asia [WESA] inhabiting mainland India, the latest being the humiliating incidence of Monika Khangembam of Manipur that proves the vulnerability of the people of the region in spite of carrying genuine citizenship and passport.The groups are of the view that the three Indian Armed Forces are...
Add new comment