Imagine being angry at something. Imagine this something permeating every aspect of every single day of your existence. Imagine it taking away your desire to do anything except oppose it, fight it, get rid of it. Now, imagine being unable to understand the very concept of futility. Imagine fighting and fighting and bleeding and falling and rising and fighting, while the crowd empties out, and only blackness is left behind to watch you. Imagine a cell that's just big enough to sleep in, and imagine the rage, the rage, the rage. Imagine the ghost of Justice weeping beside you in a cell, and you having the strength to console *her*, fight for *her*, when she should have been protecting *you*, watching over *you*.
Irom Chanu Sharmila has been on a hunger strike against the Armed Forces Special Power Act in Manipur since the 4th of November, 2000. The AFSPA, which is applicable only in Kashmir and the north-eastern states, gives the armed forces of India sweeping powers, to the extent that anyone, above the equivalent to a watchman's post in the force, has the authority to arrest, detain and Kill anyone on the suspicion of Militant activity. That's right. You don't have to be guilty. There doesn't have to be one shred of evidence against you. You could be anybody, doing anything. The Act translates to this: As long as you are part of the Central forces, you can murder anyone you want to, and no one can stop you, or even ask you why.
The extent of Abuse faced by the citizens of these States is alarming and nauseating. Every time I hear about another rape, another murder, another brutal senseless act of violence, it makes me want to flee the Country. How can we, as an entire Nation, just sit by and let something like this happen?? Why? Is it because Anna's corruption affects you, but the plight of the North-Eastern States does not? Or is it because we think ourselves "more Indian" than our counterparts?
The injustice is outrageous. The Silence, deafening. Her Story, heartbreaking.
What should she have done? What could she have done? What hasn't she done?
And now, if that wasn't enough, the NDAA enters the scene.
India has never been too big on individualism and promoting civil liberties. It's hard to concentrate on those things when nearly a third of the population is starving. But, the United States, now they have a reputation to uphold. An important one, if your national anthem mentions it..
This is not just a blow to the citizens of the US, or people who are somehow involved with the Nation; No, it is an affront to Freedom everywhere.
Don't fall, Land of the Free..
Your triumph or failure means everything..
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Martin Luther King Jr.
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