Irom Sharmila, who has been on a fast for sixteen years, has announced that she will call off her hunger strike on 9 August and contest the elections from Manipur. She was on a fast-unto-death since November 2000 demanding the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) – that provides immunity to security forces for atrocities committed against civilians in Manipur. Here are some of our archival articles that put her struggle into perspective.

From our Archive:

Thingnam Anjulika Samom looks at initial ten years of her Satyagraha; Mukesh Rawat on how she was persecuted under India’s draconian ‘suicide’ law; Thingnam Anjulika Samom on how Irom Sharmila has become an inspiration for women in Manipur to come out and report domestic violence; Laxmi Murthy’s review of Deepti Priya Mehrotra’s Burning Bright which brings stories from Manipur; and Taran N Khan’s review of Yirmiyan Arthur Yhome’s documentary This Road I know that explores ethnic divisions and the history of violence in Nagaland and Manipur.