An organisation formed in solidarity with Manipuri human rights activist Irom Sharmila will undertake a march from Srinagar to Imphal next week in support of her demand for revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
“Sharmila has become a symbol of peace and a well-known voice against the AFSPA, which is a draconian law. Hence, this journey will begin from Srinagar which is also one of the main-affected places due to the AFSPA,” the Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign said in a statement on Sunday.
The activist has been on a hunger strike for the last 10 years demanding revocation of the AFSPA, which provides impunity to armed forces operating in disturbed areas.
The journey, to be flagged off by social activist Medha Patkar and Magsaysay awardee Sandeep Pandey on October 16 from Srinagar, is expected to reach the Manipur Capital on October 27. The march will cover Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam.
The organisation said those who are living in areas which do not come under the purview of the AFSPA, have an important role to play by showing solidarity with and extending support to the victims of this law.
“The aim of the journey is to spread awareness among people about AFSPA and to elicit their support,” it added.
