HUNGER STRIKE AS A MODE OF PROTEST
A hunger strike is a form of protest where individuals refuse to eat (and sometimes drink) in order to achieve a political or social goal. The practice is often used to draw attention to a cause, demand changes in policy, or highlight injustices. It can be a powerful way to express dissent, but it also poses serious health risks to those involved.
Notable historical examples include:
- Mahatma Gandhi: Used hunger strikes as a method of nonviolent protest during the Indian independence movement.
- Bobby Sands: An Irish Republican who went on a hunger strike in 1981 while imprisoned, which drew international attention to the political situation in Northern Ireland.
- Medea Benjamin: An activist who has used hunger strikes to protest various issues, including U.S. foreign policy
- The concept of using hunger strikes as a form of political or social protest began to take shape in the late 19th century. Russian political prisoners under Tsarist rule, known as golodovka, used hunger strikes in Siberia to protest poor prison conditions.
- In 1898, a young Leon Trotsky led a hunger strike among other prisoners. In 1909, imprisoned suffragette Marion Wallace Dunlop began refusing food to be recognized as a political prisoner, inspiring other suffragettes to adopt the same method. In response, authorities implemented force-feeding, which resulted in the deaths of many suffragettes.
- The most significant impact on the development and popularization of hunger strikes came from the Irish republicans. In 1920, Terence MacSwiney died after refusing to be force-fed, and his death was followed by the martyrdom of 20 other revolutionaries
- In various local movements, revolutionaries from different political and ideological backgrounds have used hunger strikes as a means of protest, often facing martyrdom as a result. For example, Pandit Ram Rakha, a member of the Ghadar Party, died after refusing food to protest the forced removal of his janeu (sacred thread) by prison officials.
- Conversely, Ghadar Party leader Sohan Singh Bhakna engaged in a hunger strike to protest the segregation of Mazhabi Sikhs, who were considered 'low caste,' during his imprisonment in Lahore's central jail.
- Vinayak Savarkar, who generally opposed hunger strikes, unexpectedly considered undertaking one himself. When young Bengali revolutionary Nani Gopal Mukherjee went on a 72-day hunger strike to protest poor prison conditions, Savarkar, worried about Mukherjee’s health and having failed to persuade him to end his strike, threatened to starve himself if Mukherjee did not call off his protest. Mukherjee ended his strike in December 1912.
- Revolutionaries Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt, while imprisoned, protested dire jail conditions by initiating an indefinite hunger strike, which was soon joined by their comrades. During this period, Jatin Das made his well-known “iota by iota” statement.
- After two weeks, the prison authorities attempted to force-feed the strikers, and during one such attempt, the feeding tube punctured Das's lung. He became paralyzed and, after 63 days on hunger strike, died on September 13, 1929, at the age of 24. He was later remembered as the "Indian Terence MacSwiney."
- Mahatma Gandhi, a staunch advocate of non-violence, preferred the term 'fasting' rather than 'hunger strike' and viewed fasting as a tool for reform rather than coercion. He believed fasting should be used to persuade and reform rather than to demand rights.
- For instance, Gandhi fasted for three weeks after the Chauri Chaura incident in 1922 to appeal for an end to violence.
- In September 1932, he undertook another fast unto death to oppose the British decision to reserve seats for Dalits in provincial legislatures, which was opposed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who favored direct political representation for Dalits. Ultimately, Dr. Ambedkar yielded to Gandhi’s protest, but the experience left a lasting impact on him, leading him to later criticize the methods of civil disobedience and satyagraha, favoring constitutional methods instead.
- These diverse examples highlight the complex role of hunger strikes as a tool of protest, showcasing both their power and their potential for causing significant harm
- The first significant fast-unto-death protest in independent India occurred in 1952 when Potti Sriramulu called for the formation of a separate Andhra Pradesh. After 58 days of fasting, Sriramulu’s death ignited widespread protests and ultimately led to the creation of the new state.
- Another prominent hunger strike was led by Irom Sharmila in November 2000, following the alleged killing of 10 civilians by the 8th Assam Rifles in Manipur. Sharmila began an indefinite hunger strike and was arrested for attempted "suicide," remaining in police custody for 16 years while continuing her protest.
- Before India's independence from British rule, hunger strikes were primarily employed by freedom fighters against colonial oppression.
- However, these examples illustrate that even without a foreign occupying force, hunger strikes remain a significant challenge for the state.
- The primary focus often becomes suppressing the strike, which can lead to harsh measures, including violence by prison authorities aimed at ending the protest. With the state’s control over violence, such mistreatment can persist unchecked. At times, authorities may even attribute a hunger striker's death to unrelated causes.
- For instance, Mohan Kishore Namadas, a Bengali revolutionary who died in prison, was reported to have died of “lobar pneumonia,” with no mention of the forced feeding he endured. Achyut Ghatak, another revolutionary, described how protesters would cough heavily to move the feeding tube away from their throat to their mouths, where they would bite down to prevent food from being inserted.
- Despite these abuses, some jail doctors and prison staff have refused to participate in the mistreatment of hunger strikers. Ultimately, the state's actions depend on the individuals within it, and without their complicity, the protection of a prisoner’s rights remains largely theoretical
- Some argue that a hunger strike carried out to the point of death resembles suicide. Theologian Herbert McCabe, in 1981, compared this notion to the debate over whether Margaret Thatcher could be considered a murderer due to the death of Irish Republican Army activist Bobby Sands, who perished after 66 days on a hunger strike. Sands, a devout Catholic, reportedly reflected on his choice, saying, “If I die, God will understand.”
- From its inception, the practice of hunger strikes has provoked complex and potentially unsolvable ethical dilemmas.
- These include questions about whether it is right to administer medicine or nutrition against a hunger striker’s will, the risks associated with force-feeding, and whether doctors who participate in force-feeding are upholding their Hippocratic oath.
- Hunger strikes represent a final form of resistance, highlighting the need for societies to be more aware of their responsibilities when dealing with hunger strikers and the broader issues of state response.
- A state that fails to recognize the significance of these protests and resorts to brutal measures against individuals who sacrifice their health for political or social causes can only lead to tragic outcomes