Irom supporters leave Imphal without seeing her

IMPHAL: Twenty-five civil activists, who had come to Manipur to meet anti-AFSPA crusader Irom Sharmila Chanu in Imphal during the last leg of the 'Jan Karvan March' campaign, flagged off by activist Medha Patker from Srinagar, left on Saturday without seeing her. They also had to undergo the bitter experience of being kept in police custody during their visit.

The group comprising eight women, among the 25 activists, drawn from 12 states, started their 'Save Sharmila' campaign on October 16 and reached Imphal on Thursday.

According to their scheduled plan, they were supposed to wind up the campaign after meeting Sharmila at the security ward of the state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (Jnims) where she is being force fed through nose in Imphal East on Friday.

Encountering a sharp contradiction to what they had expected positively, the campaigners were denied permission by the government to meet Sharmila.

Protesting against the government's attitude,they sat on a hunger protest near Jnims and courted arrest on Friday, which coincided with 'Ningol Chak-kouba'- the biggest festival for Manipuri women. They were released in the evening.

"The wish to celebrated the festival fasting along with their icon Sharmila was shattered when the supporters were denied the permission to meet her. Ningol Chak-kouba is the greatest festival of Manipuri women in which they enjoy grand feast and share their family bonds with their brothers and parents," said Irom Singhajit , elder brother of Sharmila. tnn

"The pain inflicted by the state government to the campaigners will consistently give more courage to the people's ongoing crusade against the oppressive Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act," Singhajit added. Demanding repeal of the AFSPA that gives unbridled powers to the armed forces even to the extent to shoot suspects, Sharmila (39) has been on a hunger fast since November 5, 2000. A resident of Kongpal Kongkham Leikai, she embarked on her extraordinary mission a couple of days after Assam Rifles soldiers mowed down ten civilians near a bus stand along Tiddim road in Imphal West in a retaliatory action after suspected militants attacked the paramilitary force.