Imphal, 10th March, 2010: Irom Sharmila, who has been on a fast-unto-death since November 4, 2000 demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in Manipur, was rearrested on Tuesday, as she continued her fast despite being released by the court.The Act, under which she was arrested (for attempt to commit suicide), does not permit the authorities to detain her for more than one year at one go.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was passed on September 11, 1958 by the Parliament of India. It conferred special powers upon armed forces in what the language of the act calls "disturbed areas" in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. It was later extended to Jammu and Kashmir as the The Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 in July 1990.
Sharmila was released on Monday after she completed one year of detention. As her condition without medication and nose-feeding became precarious, the police rearrested her.Sources said her condition was a cause of concern. All her organs were affected.
She told journalists that there was no question of her breaking the fast until the AFSPA was repealed. The misuse of its provisions resulted in people getting killed, and in excesses, she said.
Sharmila had rejected appeals from Prime Ministers, Presidents and other leaders in the past to break her fast. She only wanted to sleep on her ailing mother's lap at home, she said.
