The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Northeast | Sharmila vows to continue crusade
Imphal, March 9: Manipur human rights crusader Irom Sharmila showed signs of weakness but her spirit was still indomitable even after fasting for 24 hours since her release yesterday afternoon.
I am determined to continue the fast for the cause I have been upholding for more than a decade. I may be rearrested but it will not deter me from continuing with the hunger strike, Sharmila said today.
She did not speak much and spent most of the time either sleeping or lying down in a tent at the venue of a relay hunger strike near Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital at Porompat here today.
The hunger strike, held under the aegis of the Save Sharmila Campaign, had been carried out on a daily basis since December 10 (World Human Rights Day) to show solidarity with the crusader.
A group of women supporters kept vigil throughout the night and remained with her ever since she was freed from the security ward of the hospital yesterday afternoon.
She is okay though a little bit weak. We did not allow her to speak much. She did not eat anything since her arrival at the camp yesterday, K. Taruni Devi, a leader of the Save Sharmila Campaign, said.
A police team, including female personnel, was kept stationed near the strike venue to ensure her safety.
Sharmila, who continued her hunger strike at the venue, is likely to be rearrested anytime and put behind bars again. She has been released every time at the end of her jail term.
Sharmila was charged with attempt to commit suicide and sentenced to a jail term of one year.
This is for the eighth time that she was released after her term expired. In the event of a rearrest, it would be the ninth time for her to be put behind bars.
I am not trying to commit suicide. I dont want to die. But I am ready to die for the cause, she had said immediately after her release from the security ward of the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital.
Sharmila began her hunger strike in November 2000 demanding scrapping of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
The trigger for the strike was the killing of 10 civilians by Assam Rifles troops in retaliation to a militant attack on November 2, 2000 at Malom in Imphal West. The court of district and sessions judge, Manipur East, is investigating the Malom firing case.
Imphal, March 9: Manipur human rights crusader Irom Sharmila showed signs of weakness but her spirit was still indomitable even after fasting for 24 hours since her release yesterday afternoon.
I am determined to continue the fast for the cause I have been upholding for more than a decade. I may be rearrested but it will not deter me from continuing with the hunger strike, Sharmila said today.
She did not speak much and spent most of the time either sleeping or lying down in a tent at the venue of a relay hunger strike near Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital at Porompat here today.
The hunger strike, held under the aegis of the Save Sharmila Campaign, had been carried out on a daily basis since December 10 (World Human Rights Day) to show solidarity with the crusader.
A group of women supporters kept vigil throughout the night and remained with her ever since she was freed from the security ward of the hospital yesterday afternoon.
She is okay though a little bit weak. We did not allow her to speak much. She did not eat anything since her arrival at the camp yesterday, K. Taruni Devi, a leader of the Save Sharmila Campaign, said.
A police team, including female personnel, was kept stationed near the strike venue to ensure her safety.
Sharmila, who continued her hunger strike at the venue, is likely to be rearrested anytime and put behind bars again. She has been released every time at the end of her jail term.
Sharmila was charged with attempt to commit suicide and sentenced to a jail term of one year.
This is for the eighth time that she was released after her term expired. In the event of a rearrest, it would be the ninth time for her to be put behind bars.
I am not trying to commit suicide. I dont want to die. But I am ready to die for the cause, she had said immediately after her release from the security ward of the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital.
Sharmila began her hunger strike in November 2000 demanding scrapping of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
The trigger for the strike was the killing of 10 civilians by Assam Rifles troops in retaliation to a militant attack on November 2, 2000 at Malom in Imphal West. The court of district and sessions judge, Manipur East, is investigating the Malom firing case.
