Imphal: Human Rights activists, belonging to different groups across Asia and Europe, have urged President A P J Abdul Kalam to intervene in the issue arising out of the continuing indefinite hunger strike by one Sharmila Chanu in Manipur, a spokesman of the Human Rights Alert (HRA) said on September 6.

In the representations, signed by a group of 131 Human Rights activists, Kalam was requested to personally look into the issues and intervene in the matter, the spokesman told reporters.

Official sources said Sharmila has been on indefinite fast since November 2, 2000, to press the demand for withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur. She had been taken to Imphal district hospital many times and was recently taken to judicial custody and was being fed through her nose.

Among those who signed the representation were representatives of Asian Human Rights Commission, Hong Kong, Asian Forum of Human Rights and Development, Bangkok, South Asia Forum for Human Rights, Kathmandu, Trans-National Institute, Netherlands, PARC, Japan, Minbyun, South Korea, Suaram, Malaysia, FCLC, Australia, Institute of Race Relations, London, and several other national Human Rights bodies and social organisations, the HRA spokesman said.

PTI