Human rights team not given permission to visit Sharmila

The proposed programme of visiting Irom Chanu Sharmila by a team of human rights activists from different parts of the country tomorrow as a part of the five-day long ‘Festival of Hope, Justice and Peace’ organized by Just Peace Foundation is likely to be cancelled following non-issuance of permission by the state home department.

Speaking to IFP, the director of Human Rights Alert, Babloo Loitongbam stated that the organizers of the festival have asked for permission to visit Sharmila to the state home department two weeks ahead of the scheduled programme but the state government has not granted permission till the final hours.

The organizers will wait for government’s response till 7 am tomorrow, he said.

When IFP contacted the jail authority, the officers admitted to have no knowledge of such visit by a group of rights activists.

It is also learnt from a reliable source that the health condition of Sharmila has been deteriorating for the past few days and it may be the reason behind non-issuance of permission to the rights activists to visit her at the security ward of JNIMS.


(2010-11-05/kanglaonline)