'Iron lady' Irom Sharmila wants Manipur’s women to bring peace; appeals to PM, HM to visit state

Civil rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu Saturday appealed to Manipur’s women, irrespective of their ethnic identity to act in concert to bring peace to the strife-torn state.

She also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to visit her home state "to understand the problem" and "address them".

Irom Sharmila also known as the 'Iron lady' told PTI in a telephonic interview, "Manipur is burning and I am deeply saddened seeing the sufferings of our people.I appeal to all, Meteis and tribals, to unite and end violence. Women must act like ‘Mother Nature’ and use their power to bring back peace".

The activist who had been on hunger strike for a record 16 years during which she was force-fed by food tubes, had been the face of a women’s movement in the state working for peace in the state, which had sought repeal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act which gave security forces the power to arrest without warrants and shoot without magisterial oversight.

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There have been media reports of Kuki women forming a human chain in Churachandpur town to protect people of the Meitei community from a riotous mob to help them escape on board army vehicles as well as of similar incidents in Imphal town where Meitei women have helpoed tribal students to safety.

She also said sending in more troops to the state which has been witnessing ethnic rioting between majority Meities and trbails – including Kukis and Nagas – “will not help the situation” and urged “PM Modi, Home Minister or the Chief Justice of India to visit Manipur and understand the problems, to find out the root cause and then address them".

Nearly 10,000 army, para-military and central police forces have been deployed in the state where rioting broke out after demonstrations were organized by tribals –including Kukis and Nagas - on Wednesday against a move to give the majority Meitei community, scheduled tribe status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of the population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals, who include Nagas and Kukis, account for another 40 per cent of the population and live mostly in the hill districts which surround the Valley.

Irom Sharmila also said that the Central government should try bridge the gap between people from the rest of India and the northeastern states.

"If the Centre wants India's real integrity and wants an united India, they must bridge the gap between people from the rest of India and the northeastern states. There is still discrimination, and looking down on the people from northeastern states," she said.