Irom Sharmila Indian activist, human rights defender who went on hunger strike Date of Birth: 14.03.1972 Country: India

Biography of Irom Sharmila

Irom Sharmila Chanu, also known as the Iron Lady of Manipur, is an Indian activist, human rights defender, and poet who has been on a hunger strike for over 12 years. She was born in 1972 in Kongpal, Imphal, Manipur, a small state in eastern India.

In her home state of Manipur, civil unrest has been ongoing for many years, leading the government to deploy troops in the region. Under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the military has the power to do as they please in the region, which has resulted in a series of brutal incidents where soldiers have acted with impunity. This law, enacted in 1958 and implemented in Manipur in 1980, was initially supposed to be in effect for only six months. However, it has never been repealed, and military repression in the region has continued for many years.

In 2000, Irom Sharmila decided to protest against the existing state of affairs. She joined the movement against AFSPA after hearing about the atrocities committed by the military, including the killing of 10 innocent civilians in response to the bombing of a military truck and the rape of a young local girl by soldiers. She began a hunger strike demanding the repeal of the law that allows for official abuse of power.

In response to her hunger strike, Sharmila was arrested a few days later, as attempted suicide is considered a crime under Indian law. She was force-fed through a feeding tube while in custody. Upon her release, she resumed her hunger strike, vowing to eat only when the law enabling abuse of power was repealed. She was arrested again and force-fed once more. This cycle continued, and for over 12 years, Irom Sharmila Chanu has not eaten, brushed her teeth, groomed herself, or looked in a mirror.

Her action has been supported by a large number of local residents, and she has been hailed as the Iron Lady of Manipur. By 2004, she had become an icon of popular resistance, and today she is supported by numerous human rights organizations worldwide. However, her prolonged hunger strike and forced feeding have taken a toll on her health, particularly on her bones, which have become fragile. There has also been a significant financial burden on her family, as her relatives lost their jobs one by one.

Despite these challenges, the only thing that can stop this courageous Indian woman is the repeal of the infamous Armed Forces Special Powers Act. However, the government has repeatedly stated that it will not be repealed, as the army would be unable to fulfill its tasks in the region without it.

Currently, Sharmila is under trial, with the last hearing regarding her suicide attempt case taking place on May 22, 2013, and the next one scheduled for August 30. Many human rights organizations openly support her, and she has received several awards, including the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights in 2007 and the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights' award. In 2009, she was honored with the Mayilamma Award by the Mayilamma Foundation, and in 2010, she received a lifetime achievement award from the Asian Human Rights Commission and the Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize.

The global community continues to monitor the health and desperate struggle of this Indian woman.