BLISSFULLY IGNORANT? OR SADLY INDIFFERENT?

By Parul Tayenjam

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1959, 11^th September... An Act that endows certain “special” powers upon members of the Armed Forces in “disturbed” areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, 

Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.

“Armed Forces” means the Military Forces, and Air Forces operating as land forces, and also includes any other assumed forces of the Union so operating. Any commissioner, warrant officer, or any other personnel of equivalent rank may, in these areas, arrest, detain and even shoot to death a civilian on the basis of plain old suspicion.

Coming from a state where “turmoil” has always been a word of daily use and the very utterance of AFSPA brings on a wave of rage within, I was grateful when the topic was brought up for discussion by activists from Manipur, in Mount Carmel College. My people and I have lived through enough dark times; that the “light at the end of the tunnel” seems more like wishful thinking than an actual promising reality.

Of course, a flicker did come in the form of Irom Sharmila Chanu. A symbol of hope for every other citizen of the North East; bearing a torch of non-violence and travelling on a persistent journey to our ultimate victory.

I must confess; I have not always been consciously and actively involved in the cause. I was altogether sadly indifferent and blissfully ignorant of the facts and issues at hand.

Memories of my childhood are entwined with those of strikes, bandhs and curfews. When I try to recollect those memories, I must admit I was mostly ignorant of the reason for the closed shops, schools and institutions; I was busy enjoying the “holidays” like any other normal kid. Frankly, to the young me, the bandhs and strikes were just an opportunity to stay at home, miss school and have fun!

When I was in my 3^rd grade, I vaguely remember my parents talking about Irom Sharmila and her unprecedented approach, her cry for justice for all of the North East, her cry for the repeal of AFSPA. People weren’t sure of her method; was it effective enough? Was anyone going to hear her out? What difference is one person going to make?

But it did not bother me much; after all, protests had become a daily routine in Manipur.

I grew up, still ignorant and oblivious. It had been a few years now that Sharmila had been fasting. 

Consciousness finally came to me when I was in the 7^th grade. The whole of Manipur had gone into a state of shock over the brutal rape and killing of an activist, Manorama Devi, by the Assam Rifles. I flickered through news channels and newspapers to know more. She was barbarically raped and killed. 5 bullets were found in her vagina...

My conscience started pricking me and I wanted to know how the Indian state and its armed forces could justify their atrocities. How could they justify hindering our lives with constant fear?

The Act has been imposed in the North East for more than 50 years. It has since been ravaging its victims from limb to limb. It thrives on the blood pulsating in its prey, and the Indian Government feeds it endlessly and unfairly with our blood.

We are constantly plagued with terror. Fear is instilled in us from a very early age and we are forced to keep mum and bear the pain and wounds. We did not have the slightest bit of hope, until Irom Sharmila. She is as courageous as a lion, but also as humble as a hermit. She is the voice of the voiceless, the power of the powerless. She was the strength in every Manipuri.

“I realize my task is a tough one. But I must endure; I must be patient. That day will come someday.
 If I’m still alive, until then I must be patient.”

-Irom Sharmila

It has been more than 10 years since she started her mission. The Indian Government is yet to repeal the Act, but countless people have joined in hands with Irom Sharmila to fight for the ultimate cause.

Unfortunately, many of us have learned to “live with it.” Unless we shake this tolerance off our backs, our goal will be not be fathomable.

When we stop “living with it”, when we realize we deserve more, when we ask for more; then... and only then, will we reap success.