‘This is real sign of democracy’: Irom Sharmila on Centre’s Afspa changes

Imphal: Manipuri activist Irom Chanu Sharmila, 49, who ended a 16-year fast against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or Afspa, to make her political debut in 2017, has welcomed the Union government’s decision to remove the law in several parts of Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.

Sharmila was on a hunger strike from November 2000 to August 2016 before forming the Peoples’ Resurgence and Justice Alliance ahead of the 2017 Manipur assembly elections. In an interview with HT, she talked about the decades-long fight and called the government’s move “a real sign of democracy”.

How do you feel about the Centre’s decision to partially repeal Afspa from large parts of the North-East?This is a really good moment for an activist like me. I’m happy to see the mainland politicians in Parliament are willing to do something different. The decision to repeal an outdated and colonial law seems a real sign of democracy to me… It’s a new beginning and a result of the decades-long fight. The first step has been taken, and I want Afspa to be abolished permanently from the entire North-East. The victims, who have lost their loved ones and those who have personally suffered because of this law, should be compensated.

How do you look back at the days of your hunger strike?Just three days after I started my protest, police arrested me and I went through a lot of torture. I did not want to drink even a drop of water, but the people force-fed me nasally in hospital and jail. My hunger strike later became the world’s longest hunger strike… I stood for a cause and after decades, the mainland leaders in Parliament have understood.

How will the abolition of Afspa change the North-East?Without Afspa, there will be no fear and life will be more normal and better. We started opposing the law in Manipur because our women were being assaulted. But later I found out that the poor northeastern states are focusing more on these activities and ignoring development. I realised that the local resources are not being celebrated because people are afraid.