In the wake of recent, turmoil and agitations which broke out after the Tehelka news magazine flashed photographs revealing the fake encounter on July 23 firing by police commandos at BT Road ,imphal.A nearly forgotten or at least, ignored silent protestor, Sharmila Chanu is in relevance once again, Menghaobi, the people of Manipur call her, The Fair One. Youngest daughter of an illiterate GradeIV worker in a veterinary hospital in Imphal, Sharmila chanu is on hunger strike since, November 2, 2000, nearly six years when allegedly 10 young Manipuri, men in Malom were shot dead by Assam rifles. She is forcefully kept alive by providing food through her nose by the government. She bitterly opposes the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). AFSPA empowers even the non commissioned officers of the armed forces to arrest without warrant , to destroy any house that is accused of hiding absconders without any verification, to conduct search and seizure withough warrant and to shoot even causing death. And above all no legal proceeding could be initated without prior permission of the central government. Attributing the fake encounter case as the only cause of recent,series of agitations ,will be undermining the sufferings of the people. The protests throughout the state are the outcome of accrued sufferings of people.July 15,2008, could be the black day not only , for Assam rifles, but it has severly tainted our image. It was on this day only , when around fourty middle aged women ,marched naked towards the Assam rifles headquarters.These women were carrying banners with slogans like,’Indian Army Rape Us’. These protests were triggred after the bullet-riddled body of 32-year-old Thangjam Manorama was found. It is alleged that say Manorama was picked up by soldiers of the paramilitary Assam Rifles from her home on alleged charges of links with separatist rebels. But shame on our system there are no tangible changes.Hitherto the protest of Sharmila Chanu seems to bear no fruits, our government, including media has turned deaf and dumb,to her silent protests. This attitude can accelerate violence in the already turbulent north-east. The only lamp ,Sharmila Chanu is also Flickering.
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