IMPHAL, November 6: To show solidarity with Shamila, the Just Peace Foundation had been observing festival of hope, justice and peace in recent years, but this time instead of the festival a campaign under the theme Repeal AFSPA Campaign will be hosted in many place of the country.
Just Peace Foundation trustee Babloo Loitongbam stated this in a press meet held today at its office at Kwakeithel, adding the latest programme begin from November 2, 2013 the day Sharmila completes 13 years of hunger strike and enters the 14th year of her struggle.
This year many groups from various places of India have been organizing various programme in support of Sharmila struggle.
JPF has also anchored many programmes under the Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign and one of the key highlights was the launch of a campaign demanding the release of Sharmila by the Amnesty International India. To support the campaign, give a miss call to 18002000059, he added.
Kashala SanskritiK Manch, Mahatama Gandhi International Hindi University, Wardha on November 4 2013, enacted a play “Shantoolan Doot – Messenger of Balance,” based on Sharmila.
The students of the university conducted a candle mass rally and assembled at Gandhi Hill at the University campus showing solidarity to the Sharmila.
In Kerala, Opposition parties carried out Sharmila campaign at the area of Defense Minister AK Anthony.
A candle light was performed at the Raj Ghat in New Delhi.
In the state, a symbolic one-day fast was performed on Ningol Chakouba by the Sharmila Kanba Lup (SKAL) at its office.
Later, in the night a candle light campaign was performed in Porompat from JNIMS to Sharmila Kanba Lup Shang.
JPF has started the momentum of Shamila struggle, the struggle to repeal AFSPA will no longer confined to NE and Manipur. The Sharmila’s massage has spread across the length and breadth of India. All the credit goes to Sharmila whose struggle is unprecedented. AFSPA will be ultimately consigned to history and in the dustbin, said Babloo Loitongbam.
Brother of Sharmila and trustee of the JPF, Irom Shinghajit said that Nagpur groups made an appeal for a mass rally campaign by a group of social activists in December. He gave an assurance that the matter will discussed after their return to the state and make a decision on the matter.
At Wardha University many people asked whether Sharmila’s struggle is to demand the separation of Manipur from India. In reply Shinghajit said he told them in the negative, affirming that it is for enjoying the same Constitutional rights as everyone. We are also citizens of the country but we are being neglected through AFSPA, 1958. The struggle of Irom Sharmila is to repeal the black law AFSPA from the country not only from Manipur or north east region so that people are saved from facing the ill-fate of the Manipuris since many years.
In her struggle and in her poem Sharmila does not reflect a single word or thought of gun culture.
In the 13 years the right to life had being violated and even the politicians who had voiced support for AFSPA has become mute after they won the elections.
