by Barbara Miller
Poet and political activist Irom Chanu Sharmila has been protesting abuses by Indian military forces in Manipur, northeastern India, for ten years. Fasting unto death is her chosen, nonviolent method of protest. Indian law however now rules that fasting unto death is illegal.
Manipur, located in the northeastern region is India’s most war torn state. Forested, hilly, rainy, and the home of many diverse tribal groups, it was forcibly incorporated into the Indian state in 1949 along with the other states in the northeast.
Sharmila is seeking the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) which allows the Indian army to detain, and sometimes kill, northeastern people. The UN’s human rights chief, Navi Pillai, has urged India to repeal the law. So far: no progress at all.
Getting rid of the hated AFSPA is an important step toward peace in the region. Greater political autonomy for all the northeastern states would also help reduce the violence and misery. India should wield a lighter hand rather than a heavier hand in the region. But of course, India has major strategic and resource interests in the area. While the central government pursues those interests, the local people suffer terribly.
What do Manipuris want? India out of Manipur. Not likely. But perhaps a less repressive presence would suffice?
So what is “gobar” (or “gober”)? It’s a Hindi word that refers to cow dung. Many years ago my college Hindi teacher, Professor Robert Swan, told me a story prompted by the appearance of the word “gobar” in one of my readings. It was about colonial India’s reaction to the so-called Simon Commission which was charged in the late 1920s with reforming governance of the colony. The Commission did not include a single Indian member to participate in such important policy making.
Sir John Simon, head of the Commission, came to the subcontinent in 1928 to present the report. Everywhere on his tour, including major cities such as Mumbai (then Bombay) and Lahore, he was met with massive and vocal protests. The protestors chanted in English, “Simon go back!” [to Britain]. The many Indian protestors who didn’t know English picked up the chant, recasting it into what they thought they heard: “Simon gobar!” Twenty years later, India gained its independence from Britain. At the same time, it colonized Manipur.
For information on Manipur’s struggle for peace, go to the Manipur Freedom website.
Photo, “Imphal Encounter”, from Flickr and Creative Commons.
anthropologyworks 
I read your bio. Dear Professor Barbara Miller, I know you have never met Sharmila. I have. We have been corresonding for nearly two years and I have gotten to know her. I hope that you will take on some of the more obvious threats to Sharmila that none here care about. First she has two death threats levelled against her by Manipuri (meitei) gangsters leaving aside the problems of the Centre. The first is via honor killing you will be aware of the term. Her brother Singhajit claims it as his right if she continues her relationship with me. Why because Babloo Longtoibam the director of HRA Manipur’s main human rights agency told him so. He currently believes he can control Sharmila through her brother but if she marries a foreigner well you know what we are like Barbara feminist womanist or however you wish to describe yourselves. She has freedom and independence with me. The second death threat he published at least three times and is now quoted as common knowledge 22 Sept 2010 he claime her death was imminent due to complications over force feeding. This story has morphed twice on 26 April 2011 she was about to die having refused all intubation for over five days because he claimed she wanted an audience with the local CM. In mid June he had the chief medical officer of JNIMS proclaim that Sharmila due to mood swings sometimes pulls out her feeding tube at which times the Docs fear she will die despite I/V glucose drips. They wish to blame the union government for the uprising to follow and they will all make more money. My criticism is not against you. Very few have any in depth knowledge of Manipur. I hadn’t heard the story of Gobar but you should be awared Hindi is not the language of India just that of Delhi and its environs. They speak Meiteilon in Manipur. In the South Tamil is known as the original language of India and of the harappa civilization. I will not learn the language of our oppressors so for now English will do. Finally I have no problem with the Indian Government keeping Sharmila alive. Her death now would be criminal. I do object to the threats of assassination made by the local gangsters. If you want my take on the problems of Manipur I will happily provide them for you. For now would you like to be the first womanist/feminist woman academic who actually writes to condemn the death threats levelled against her by the evil patriarchy. That was one understanding of Womanist politics, as a woman of power you tend to side with men like Babloo. He has connections in the human rights field and can open doors for you with men with money and power locally. Ah well she gets annoyed with me because I am too confrontational and her victory is almost here. But Babs please you are very learned to bring up Sir John Simon, the British left in the last millenium it is Manipuri gangsters who are responsible for the problems of Manipur. Criticize them.
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