[Reader-list] Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi to back Sharmila at UN

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Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi to back Sharmila at UN

*The Imphal Free Press*
http://kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=35055&typeid=1&Idoc_Session=afa6a52e69d17fd5965522d2bdab004d


IMPHAL, Nov 26: Irom Sharmila Chanu, whose six-year struggle for the repeal
of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act has assumed larger-than-life
proportions, has gained another potent backer, with Iranian Nobel Peace
prize laureate Shirin Ebadi pledging she would seek support at international
fora like the UN for Sharmila`s struggle.

The 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner visited Sharmila this morning at New
Delhi`s AIIMS hospital where the latter is continuing her fast against the
Draconian law, and extended support to her campaign, according to reports
from New Delhi.

Emerging from the meeting, Ebadi told mediapersons that she extended full
solidarity to Sharmila`s struggle.

Waving a poster that appealed to the government to revoke the AFSPA, she
said, "I will report to the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights on how this
country is violating human rights. A woman who has been arrested by the
police two months back is not being produced in court. I will also talk to
the Indian government about this," Ebadi told reporters.

During the hour-long meeting, Ebadi recorded her conversation with Sharmila
and said this will be produced before the UN Human Rights Council as
evidence.

"It is a matter of shame for the people and country. Sharmila has (said she
will not) consume anything until she is produced in court. She is very weak
and every sentence came out with great difficulty from her mouth," she said.


Terming her meeting with Sharmila as one of the most painful experiences of
her life, Ebadi said Sharmila had removed the food pipe used to force feed
her for the past three days.

Sharmila began her fast to demand the withdrawal of the AFSPA six years ago
after some civilians were gunned down by security forces near Manipur`s
capital Imphal.

Ebadi called on people to launch a protest against the government for giving
sweeping powers to the security forces through the AFSPA. "If a law allows
the army to do whatever they want, we cannot sit in silence. I appeal to the
Indian government to immediately revoke the AFPSA and release Sharmila on
humanitarian grounds," she said.

"The Indian government should know that if one Sharmila dies, there will be
thousands of protestors around the world fighting for her cause," she said.

Another report from Delhi added that with Sharmila having removed the
food-pipe used to force-feed her, her condition has deteriorated in the past
two or three days.
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