I/II http://manipurfreedom.org/call4action2009 Call for Action in Support of Irom sharmila
Dear Friends, On 2 November 2009, Manipur poet and activist Irom Sharmila, will enter the 10th year of her hunger strike demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Introduced in 1958 the AFSPA grants the Indian military special powers throughout North-East India to: - Arrest citizens and enter their property without warrant; - Shoot and kill anyone on mere ‘suspicion’; - Enjoy immunity against legal action. Under the cover of the Act the Indian armed forces have indulged in killing, torture, enforced disappearances and rape, bringing great shame to India and much misery to the people of Manipur. According to the government appointed Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission ‘the Act has become a symbol of oppression, an object of hate and an instrument of discrimination and high-handedness.’ The United Nations Committee on Racial Discrimination has urged the Indian government to repeal the law. On 2 November, 2000 Irom Sharmila Chanu, a Manipuri poet decided to go on a hunger strike after the Indian Army massacred ten civilians in Malom, Manipur. On 6 November 2000 she was arrested by the police and charged with attempt to commit suicide under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code. Her health deteriorated gradually and she did not accept even a single drop of water. On 21 November 2000 a plastic tube was inserted into her nose and liquid nutrient was inserted into her body. She has been surviving on this liquid diet and in solitary confinement as a high security prisoner for the last nearly ten years. She is routinely released every year only to be re-arrested again. This ritual has been going on for a decade now. In solidarity with her local civil society, particularly the women, have been on a relay hunger strike since December 10, 2008. On the occasion of her struggle entering the tenth year, they are poised to celebrate her resilience as a "Festival of Hope, Justice and Peace". We the following organisations are convinced that Sharmila’s struggle is not just to defend the human rights in Manipur, but in reality it is reshaping the very foundations of democracy in India. Therefore, it is important that all those who defend justice, peace and democracy to support her struggle. Hence, we wish to celebrate Sharmila’s courage and resilience as her struggle enters the 10th year from 2 to 6 November 2009 . We call upon all people’s movements, women’s organisations and human rights forums to initiate the following actions: 1. Protest or symbolic hunger fast in support of Sharmila’s demand to repeal AFSPA on November 2nd or November 6th. 2. Protest in front of Indian embassies all over the world. 3. Organise students in schools and colleges to write poems in support of Sharmila’s demands. These can be publicised through Manipurfreedom.org 4. Organise Human Rights Film Festivals in support of Sharmila Irom from November 2nd to November 6. A package of films will be available through INSAF, [email protected]: 011-65663958 5. Highlight all cases of human rights violations in Manipur and the North-East India 6. Popularise the poster for action available at manipurfreedom.org from October 15th onwards (the poster can be freely used to be printed and circulated according to your local needs.) 7. Write letters to Chief Minister of Manipur and Prime minister of India with copies [email protected] and [email protected] 8. Organise public meetings in support of Sharmila Irom’s demand to repeal AFSPA. 9. Organise book reading sessions / interaction / discussion / talks with the latest book on Sharmila<http://www.penguinbooksindia.com/Bookdetail.aspx?bookId=3608> by Deepti Priya Mehrotra called `Burning Bright’ (published by Penguin Books). Priya Mehrotra can be contacted at: 9711793492, or 011-26011078 10. Any other action you may think appropriate to express solidarity with the tenth year of struggle by Sharmila Irom. Please inform details about your actions with photographs to [email protected] so that a wider section of people can be informed. Please circulate this appeal to all your friends so that a strong campaign can be initiated to generate maximum pressure to repeal AFSPA. We do hope that you will do everything within your means to make this campaign successful. Manipurfreedom.org | Adishakti Lokbikash Sangthan (Orissa) | Adivasi Adhikar Abhijan Mayurbhanj (Orissa) | Adivasi Bikash Parisad (Orissa) | Adivasi Chetona Manch(Orissa) | Adivasi Moolvasi Asistva Raksha Manch, Jharkhand | AID, Delhi Chapter | Akhra, Jharkhand | Anchalik Bikash Parisad(Orissa) | Anchalik Jungle Surakshya Sangthan (Orissa) | Anchalika Adivasi Unnayan Parishad(Orissa) | Ancholia Unnayan Parishad(Orissa) | Ancholiko Unnayan Sangh(Orissa) | Ancholiko Vikas Parisad(Orissa) | ANHAD | Anti SEZ struggle organisation, Kakinada, AP | Antyodaya Chetana Mandal (Orissa) | Balmianni Kutomi (Orissa) | BHARATIYA MUSLIM MAHILA ANDOLAN | Bharatiya Muslim Women’s Movement | Centre For Research on New International Economic Order (Orissa and TN) | Citizen for human rights movement, Tamil Nadu | Citizens' Committee on Communal Harmony | Common Concern, Orissa | Dalit Women Forum, Secunderabad, AP | Deo-mali Mahila Sangh(Orissa) | EKTA ( committee for communal amity) Mumbai | Forum for Women’s Rights & Development (FORWORD), Tambaram, TN |FOrum Kerala | Gana Chetana Sangthan (Orissa) | Ganglamaa Vikash Manch(Orissa) | Ganjam Jilla Adivasi Manch, Ganjam, Orissa | Gram Sahajog(Orissa) | Gramanchal Bikash Parisad(Orissa) | Himalayan Niti Abhiyan, HP | Ho Munda Bhasa Bikash Manch (Orissa) | Human Rights Alert, Manipur | Human Rights Law Network, Delhi | Indian Association for Women’s Studies ( IAWS) | INSAF , Delhi | Institute of Human Rights Education, Chennai | Integrated Rural Development of Weaker Sections in India (Orissa, AP and TN) | Jahar Surkshya Manch (Orissa) | Jan Pahal , Madhya Pradesh | Japadhar Bachao Andolan , Orissa | Jatadhar Banchao Andolan | Jungle Jivan Surakshya Parisad(Orissa) | Just Peace Foundation, Manipur | Kabani -The Other Direction | Kasti Dakua Adivasi Mohasangha(Orissa) | Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation | Kisan Morcha, Bikaner, Rajasthan Dalit Sena, Jodhpur, Rajasthan | Kriti Team, Delhi | Kuvi Bdayu (Orissa) | Kuvi Kulomi (Orissa) | LOK MANCH, Aurangabad, Biha | Loka Adhikar Manch | Loka Unnayan Sangha (Orissa) | Mahendragiri Adivasi Adhikar Samiti (Orissa) | Mahila Morcha, Banswara, Rajasthan | Malaygiri Bikash Manch(Orissa) | Moving Republic, Bangalore | Mukti Sanghthan(Orissa) | Munigiri Gana Sangthan (Orissa) | Nari Bikash-Women Organisation(Orissa) | National Adivasi alliance | National Alliance of People’s Movements | National Alliance of Women Organisations, Orissa | National Coastal Women’s Movement | National Hawkers Federation | New Socialist Alternative ( Bangalore) | Niyamgiri Surakshya Abhijan | Niyamgiri Surakshya Manch, Orissa | Niyamgiri Surkshya Manch(Orissa) | Odisha Adivasi Adhikar Abhijan (Orissa) | Orissa Development Action Forum (Orissa) | Orissa Human Rights Forum, Bhadrakh District,Orissa | Pahadi Sangrami Manch(Orissa) | Pathabhedam Magazine, Calicut | Peoples Movement Against Nuclear Energy , Koodankulam | Peoples watch , Madurai | POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, Orissa | Project level committee (Orissa) | Reach Out , Delhi | Roopankan , Indore, Madhya Pradesh | Rural Action for Development (Orissa) | Rusimal Anchalik Unnayan Parishad (Orissa) | Sahaya(Orissa) | SAJAG ( Sahariya Jan Gath Bandhan ) | Sajukodi Dhorti Surkhya Porisod(Orissa) | Samajik Vikasa Kendram (Orissa) | Samajika Parivartan Vikas Kendra (Orissa) | Samvedan Sanskritik Manch, Ahmedabad, Gujarat | SANGAT , Delhi | Saura Adivasi Ahikar Abhijan (Orissa) | Seva Bharati (Orissa) | Shaheen (Women Resource Centre), Hyderabad, AP | Shakti Sangthan(Orissa) | SICHREM, Bangalore | Socio Economic Development Programme (Orissa and West Bengal) | Students Christian Movement |SUDHANTHRA, rehabilitation centre for victims of domestic violence and torture, Madurai | Theeradesa Mahilavedi, Kerala | VIBGYOR Film Collective | Visual Search, Bangalore | Zailaitmu(Orissa) II. http://manipurfreedom.org/filmfestival2009 HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL IN SOLIDARITY WITH SHARMILA IROM We are pleased to inform you that around one hundred and forty organisations have given a call to initiate solidarity actions on the eve of the tenth year of the hunger fast by Sharmila Irom against the rule of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur state. Protests, one-day symbolic fasts, film festivals, posters, letters to the Chief Minister of Manipur and Prime Minister as well as solidarity poems by students in different parts are being planned in many places. The central idea behind the campaign is to support not just Sharmila Irom’s demand to repeal AFSPA in Manipur. Ultimately, there is a need to remove such repressive laws wherever they are in place, in the entire north east, Jammu and Kashmir, Chattisgarh, etc. We believe that collective action by all organisations who have come forward to support Sharmila Irom’s demand has the power to change the authoritarian character of the Indian State. Many groups have expressed an interest in organising film festivals on human rights in solidarity with Sharmila Irom during the period November 2-6, 2009. We have put together a package of relevant films which can be made available to any group that is interested in organising such an effort. For getting copies of films , place a request on [email protected] and [email protected] with your programme details. Packages will be couriered to you from following address INSAF national secretariat 124-A/6, First Floor, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi-110016 Ph: +91-11-65663958, Telefax:+91-11-26517814 E-mail: [email protected] Please send your announcements and reports of your actions to [email protected] so that they can be viewed by a larger audience. *Soldiers in Sarong* By Lokendra Arambam. Duration – 45 minutes Abstract – “sarong” -women traditional wear. Manipur, a small state in north east India is in deep political and social turmoil. The impact of armed conflict and the confrontation between the State and Non state actors were most acutely felt by the women. Their lives are testimony to the impact of violence on traditional societies forced into the painful threshold of modernity. *Tales from the margin* By Kavita Joshi English Duration - 23 minutes Abstract – A travel to the remote, strife torn corner of India. It documents the extraordinary protest of Manipuri women for justice. The film also focus on the everyday lives of women and human tragedies in Manipur ( India) . *Sharmila – the iron lady* CNN- IBN A 30 minute story on Iron Sharmila. Her struggle and the cycle of violence in the State of Manipur by a Delhi based national media – CNN- IBN *True lies in Manipur* CNN- IBN 30 minutes story on the fake encounter in July 23, 2009 and the aftermath of the expose. *Redefining Peace* By K.P Sasi Duration – 58 Minutes Abstract - 1000 women were nominated for the 2005 Nobel peace prize by net work of women movements and organizations across the globe. Of which 91 women were from India. The film tells the story of the struggle and contribution of these 91 women, who in their own ways redefine the definition of Peace. Sharmila Irom is one among the list. *Jashn-e-azadi (How we celebrate freedom)* By Sanjay Kak Duration - 138 minutes Amidst the everyday violence and ever-present fear in Kashmir, there are no easy answers to such questions. Where truth has been an early victim, all language, speech, poetry, even cinema, becomes inadequate to describe what we know and feel here. So we reshape our curiosity, and point ourselves at what we can see, what we are allowed to see *Development flows from the barrel of the Gun* By B. Toppo and Meghnath Duration - 55 miniutes. This film presents and examines orchestrated state violence against indigenous and local peoples when they protest against development projects on their lands. The film strengthen their thesis by documenting examples from all over India – Orissa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh. *Prisoners of Conscience* Zameer ke Bandi (1978, 45 mins, B&W) On political prisoners in India before, during and after the State of Emergency in 1975-77 An important historical record of a traumatic period in India's recent political history, PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE focuses on the State of Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi from June 1975 to March 1977. During the Emergency the media was muzzled, over 100,000 people were arrested without charge and imprisoned without trial. But political prisoners existed before the Emergency, and they continue to exist even after it is over. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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