Irom Sharmila ordered released

[asakiyume]

A Manipur court ruled that Irom Sharmila's hunger strike in protest of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act is not attempted suicide, and that therefore it's illegal to hold her on that charge--and, according to news sources, she has been released. (Story in the Guardian here.)

Imprisoning her on suicide charges was always wrongheaded, but this release doesn't address she's actually protesting, which is a law that grants the military impunity in its actions in "disturbed areas." What about the AFSPA? It's being reported that Sharmila has said she'll continue her fast, that she wants Modi to repeal the law--she's putting her faith in him.

A Times of India story said that the court ruled that "the state government may take up appropriate measure for her health and safety, such as nose feeding in case she decides to continue with her fast," which doesn't match my idea of an unconditional release--unless Sharmila herself asks for that assistance, which she may well--after all, she has permitted this feeding from the start.

I want Sharmila to succeed in her cause, but I want her to survive, too. It takes intensity and single-mindedness to maintain a protest for so long. Sometimes there are flurries of journalistic coverage, but there are long days and weeks with no signs of support, with only hospital staff for company. Through all that, for years and years, she's been steadfast. But does that single-mindedness keep you from seeing other possible approaches? Do you see only the one path? Does the path end up taking precedence over the cause? Or is that a treacherous question? Honestly, I don't know. She's a remarkable person. I think. . . I will trust her judgment and not second-guess her.

Comments

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I'm very happy that the government has decided not to hold her on spurious charges, but I worry that it means they no longer care whether she lives or dies. The imprisonment was wrong--but in a heavy-handed way, it showed concern for her individual life (though lack of respect for the many lives on whose behalf she was protesting).

I don't know how most hunger strikes end. … I suppose it wouldn't matter, even if I did, because each case is unique.

She says now that she will fight force feeding (which she hasn't in the past). It means--or I think it means--that the long impasse has to end. Either the government takes some action on AFSPA that satisfies her, or--she dies? Or maybe the government finds some excuse to make her continue with force feeding, after all.

It's my sense, in all my years of life, that governments rarely suddenly and completely drop something (and yet I think maybe sometimes they do? I wish more examples of things in either direction sprang to mind). I find it hard to believe that the Indian government will suddenly, completely, give up this law. But maybe they will? I hope somehow, something will happen, there'll be some movement, that'll mean Sharmila can live.

… I want to care as much about all the people who've suffered under AFSPA as I care about her, personally. That's what *she'd* want. But I latch on to the particular, to her as an individual.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

I was going to say that we don't know about cases where the government, hoping an issue or its prominent proponents will drop, and so ignore it, because when the government does nothing* it can so easily fall from easily accessed information streams. And I think that happens pretty often.

* Except, perhaps, discourage journalists from covering issues and proponents.

And now, of course, Irom Sharmila is arrested again. :(

I will stop. I hope I haven't already violated the feelings that led to your latest post being no-comment. And I apologize.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

It's okay; it's just that last night I was exhausted and had no more talking in me, and besides, I feel like people don't really know what to say about this. I felt I had to post the update so people who are following know what the current situation is, but…. buhhhh.

But I feel marginally more energized this morning.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

Marginally is good, for what it's worth. :D

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

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