JOIN USSiman Chandramani was one of the brave hearts of Malom, a lush green village with widespread paddy fields on the outskirts of Manipur’s capital Imphal.
In 1988, he won the National Bravery Award for saving the life of his younger brother who was drowning in a pond. Chandramani wanted to serve the nation by joining the armed forces, but as irony had it, he was shot dead by Assam Rifles troopers along with 9 others, including his own elder brother Siman Robinson, on November 2, 2000. Chandramani was only 17 when he died.
This massacre brought nondescript Malom to the limelight and triggered a non-violent protest. This was the incident that triggered the then 28- year-old Irom Sharmila Chanu to start a hunger strike protest against AFSPA. “It took 15 long years of legal battle before the Manipur High Court ruled in favour of the victims’ families and asked Assam Rifles to pay a compensation of 5 lakh each to the victims. But this is no justice. The latest decision of the Supreme Court asking the government to probe fake encounters in Manipur has given us hope for proper justice and perhaps withdrawal of AFSPA” said T Somarendra, an intellectual, who lost his son T Shanti Kumar Singh.
“It was on November 4, 2000, that Sharmila started her hunger strike against AFSPA after the Malom massacre. She was not from this village but she stood for us, for the people of Manipur and sacrificed her personal life to fight against AFSPA. For us, she is even bigger than a statesman, and far beyond the politicians. Her decision to join politics has shocked us a bit, and we do not think politics can yield her ultimate goal of repeal of AFSPA” 76-year-old Somarendra added.
But the people of Malom are ready to support her. “Malom particularly owes it to Sharmila. For us, she is a family member. We have always stood by her cause. We will support her decision. She has given 16- years of her prime life. We have to respect that” said Sinam Kamal, a local.