Sharmila makes her stand clear to all
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 08: Irom Chanu Sharmila who has been on a fast unto death agitation demanding revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur for more than six years now has explained that her struggle is not for receiving awards but to spread mass awareness and encourage people to participate in it collectively.

Irom Sharmila Chanu before the media persons

Speaking to mediapersons this afternoon at the security ward of JN Hospital where she has been kept confined, Sharmila said she has heard about her selection for the Gwangzu Prize Human Rights, 2007 but no official intimation has been received in this connection.

"What I want is not the award but mass participation of the people in the struggle for withdrawal of the draconian Army Act"she said emphatically, adding she might not be in a position to go and receive the award personally and to send a representative to collect it.

This will be the better option, she observed.

Sharmila further said that she would not accept the award if it is given by North Korea, which is very proud of its nuclear power but would accept it if it is given by South Korea.

Sharmila disclosed that she got an intimation from the Additional SP of Jail on the Court summons to appear at the Delhi Metropolitan Court.

"When I would be taken has not been told and kept confidential.

But they (jail authority) have been consulting with the doctors of the Shija Hospital and Research Institute who conducted operation on me to find out whether I can leave or not," she informed.

"Even if the Delhi police claimed that they did not arrest me while I was carrying on my agitation at the Delhi , I was made to sign on a bail application at the time returning to Imphal', Sharmila said.

While informing that New Delhi based publisher Mira Jori had requested her to write a book on her struggle, Sharmila said she has send a poem consisting of about 1010 lines written after coming to Imphal through Deepati Malhotra, who is a writer and lecturer in the Lady Shri Ram College, when the latter came to Imphal.

Sharmila also showed a banner of the signature campaign launched by students of the college in support of her struggle.