Imphal, Aug 23 : Civil rights campaigners in Manipur are upset with the mainstream Indian media for blowing up activist Anna Hazare’s anti-graft fast that entered its sixth day on Sunday and ignoring the over decade-long hunger strike by Irom Chanu Sharmila against rights violations by the security forces in the region.
“There is a general sense of feeling that we, the people of the northeast, have always been neglected, discriminated, and looked down upon by the rest of India, including the mainstream media.
See how Anna’s fast has hogged media headlines and see our very own Irom fasting for nearly 11 years,” Singhajit Singh, a civil rights campaigner and elder brother of Sharmila, said on Sunday.
Dubbed as the “Iron Lady of Manipur,” Sharmila began her fast on Nov. 2, 2000, after witnessing the killing of 10 people by the army at a bus stop near her home.
Now around 40, she was arrested shortly after beginning her protest — on charges of attempted suicide. She was sent to a prison hospital where she began a daily routine of being force-fed via a nasal drip.
Sharmila is frequently set free by local courts, but once outside, she resumes her hunger-strike and is rearrested. She is campaigning for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that enables security forces to shoot on sight and arrest anybody without a warrant.
“The attitude of the Indian public is sad in the sense that something happening in the northeast is seldom recognized by the mainstream media. The whole attitude is discriminatory,” said Babloo Loitongbam from a local human rights group.
AFSPA was passed in 1990 to grant security forces special powers and immunity from prosecution to deal with raging insurgencies in the northeastern states and in Jammu Kashmir.
Sharmila is currently being held in an isolated cabin at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital here.
“If Anna was born in Manipur and Sharmila born in New Delhi, things would have been just the reverse. For the mainstream media, northeast or things happening in the northeast hardly excites them,” Singh said.
Manipur is home to 2.4 million people and about 19 separatist groups which have demands ranging from autonomy to independence.
4 comments:
Wrong impression from Sharmila's elder brother. "If Anna was born in Manipur and Sharmila in Delh, it would have been different" this is wrong impression.
Different could only happened if Sharmila had title of Hazare (which means head of thousands) unfortunately she falls out of caste heirachy. It matters the top within Indian societies.
Very True...Northeast India..the Land, People will always be ignored, sometimes its a wonder, why we still stick to India...
What does India Care, when hundreds of civilians have been gunned down by its forces in cold blood?
We don't support militancy but this is just how India, Indians and Indian media is treating Northeast.
So true....Media should bring Irom justice.....
Irom Sharmila, why not help government to maintain peace in North East. J & K and north east have been famous for insurgency activities.
Did she even given little bit attention that when state government fails, Center takes responsibility. When Center fails, President came
into action. Its only when local police fails, such laws came into action. So who is responsible for this !
Its little separatist groups running over there which brain wash common people and motivate them to destroy peace, and not Government of India .
We should work closely to create more peaceful environment in North East India, to help government take decision to remove these laws.
After all its collective responsibility of people towards government and government towards its people.
It was shameful for his brother to say discriminatory comments about she born in Delhi. Nobody is neglecting her sacrifice, but I think she
should understand Government is not against people, but they need confidence of the common man that State government can run peacefully.
Separatist movement running over there should be finished once and for all, and people should work collectively to create peace for all and not
just for Sharmila.
Last but not the least, Nobody is denying her sacrifice, but did Sharmila ever questions who is responsible for all these ?
AFSPA is reaction, which is caused by the separatist running over there who kill innocent people and destroys peace. Eventually driving
government to take such action.
She should give up here fast and work with government to develop peace in the North East. Separatist movements should be crushed, I promise
these laws would go on its own.
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