Three days after her release, anti-AFSPA activist Irom Sharmila re-arrested from protest site

SUMMARY

Sources said 42-year-old Sharmila was being taken for a medical check-up after she declined to eat or drink. (Source: PTI)

Sharmila has been taken back to her ward at the JNIMS to be force fed through her nose.

Manipuri police re-arrested 42-year-old anti-AFSPA activist Irom Sharmila after taking her away from a protest site.
Sharmila has been taken back to her ward at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) to be force fed through her nose. She had been without any kind of nutrition since the time she had been released Wednesday evening.

This is the second time that the police had come to take her. With the sessions court having thrown out charges of section 309 of the Indian Penal Code, attempt to suicide, the Manipur police cannot take her into custody without proper cause.
Sharmila’s health remains a main cause for concern after her release. The court order further says that it is the State’s responsibility to ensure that her health does not deteriorate and that proper medical attention is provided to her.
Members of the Save Sharmila campaign say that they are unsure whether she has been arrested or simply taken for medical attention. There is a high possibility that she may be released after her force feeding.

Sources said 42-year-old Sharmila was being taken for a medical check-up after she declined to eat or drink. (Source: PTI)

A similar drama played out last night amid the pouring rain as police personnel started gathering in front of the shed where Sharmila is spending most of her time. Gyspsys and two vans full of police personnel, including women police and some senior police officers arrived at the spot and held lengthy negotiations with her. They tried convincing Sharmila to leave with them so that she could get medical care but she flatly refused.
The senior policemen left after 45 minutes of cajoling, leaving behind two gypsys and around 10 policemen on guard. At around 10.30 pm they were back. This time with a doctor and two nurses. The medical team was taken in. Sharmila once again refused. They were unable to even check her blood pressure.

After a hectic day of meeting people, the frail Sharmila then sat up most of the night under a bright red mosquito net. “I am feeling well. I don’t know why the police had come. I don’t know if they wanted to arrest me,’’she said sleepily. The Imas (mothers) surrounding her said that the police would be back to take her.
With the onus of Sharmila’s health on hem, the police arrived this morning and picked her up. Whether she will be released again is yet to be seen.

By: Esha Roy | Imphal | August 22, 2014 9:23 pm
Courtesy: The Indian Express

Arian will get his life-saving drugs from Shire for the rest of his life

Arian, 12 years old, has a rare disorder called the Hunter Syndrome.
In order to live, Arian needs to undergo an enzyme replacement therapy developed by Shire, an US drug company. But the medicine is very expensive and impossible to find in India.
Arian will get his life-saving drugs from Shire for the rest of his life.

The US drug company Shire has accepted Arian in its Global Charitable Access Program.
The credit goes to all of you for your support and Reema Roy, Joint Secretary of Rationalists’ and Humanists’ Forum of India, who had been coordinating with Shire regarding Aryan’s case.

This is an email i received from Ariann’s Father:

Dear Debashis,
We are so happy that we can’t stop crying.
We got to know that my son Arian will get his life-saving drugs from Shire for the rest of his life.

The US drug company Shire has accepted Arian in its Global Charitable Access Program.
A few months ago, I started a petition on http://www.Change.org to highlight our fight to save Arian. Arian has Hunter Syndrome, a life threatening genetic disorder.

More than 1 lakh people supported us. Rationalists’ and Humanists’ Forum of India and CNN IBN did a series of shows about our fight to save Arian. They all made us believe we can win.

Debashis, without this support we would have given up long ago. We would never have been able to afford Arian’s medicines costing upto 7 lakh rupees every week.

We thank Shire for their generosity. We thank you and Rationalists’ and Humanists’Forum of India for your support.We are also grateful to Health Minister Dr.Harsh Vardhan, for taking interest in Arian’s case.

Arian hasn’t stopped smiling though he says he is afraid of injections. 🙂

He will be so excited to hear from you. Will you leave a message for Arian in the comments section of our petition? I will collect your comments and gift it to him.

May every parent in a similar situation be blessed with such tears of joy.

Thank you Debashis,
Sib Sankar, Debjani and Arian.