Nationwide campaign supporting Irom Sharmila to be launched
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, September 03 2011: In support of Irom Chanu Sharmila, a joint initiative of various organizations and movements 'Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign' is launching a two-month nationwide signature campaign from October 2, 2011 .

It seeks to generate public support for Sharmila and her fight against AFSPA.

'Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign' have been working on the issue of Irom Sharmila Chanu for a long time.

"The signature campaign will start from 3pm of October 2 till December 10, 2011 in all state capitals and major cities of India", informed a statement issued by the joint initiative.

The campaign aims at spreading awareness about Irom Sharmila Chanu, a Manipuri poet and activist who is on a hunger strike since 2000, and to generate public support for the cause she is fighting to repeal AFSPA, added the statement.

The signature campaign will demand a special team of doctors to examine her health.

It will also demand sending of all party delegates and members of National Women Commission and National Human Rights Commission to visit her.

The statement said, "We believe the non violent protest of Irom Sharmila Chanu should not be ignored.

Non violence is the key to a peaceful and humanitarian society" .

The campaign will culminate with the handing over of the signatures to the President of India on International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2011 followed by a fast and a peace march from India gate to Rastrapati Bhawan.

The campaign will be carried out in 21 cities including New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkota.

The other cities which will support the campaign are Hyderabad, Guwahati, Patna, Ahemadabad, Chandigarh, Shimla, Sri Nagar, Ranchi, Bangalore, Trichur, Bhopal, Cuttack, Jaipur, Chennai, Lucknow, Dehradun and Puduchery.

The unconquerable Irom Sharmila Chanu began her fast-unto-death stir following the "Malom massacre" in which personnel of AR gunned down 10 civilians at Malom near Tulihar Airport in Imphal on November 2, 2000 .

She has been been kept in a high security ward in JNIMS in Imphal where she has been nasal fed since.

The AFSPA gives unrestrained power to army men to shoot and kill at will.

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