Indian activist’s hunger strike for Ladakh autonomy draws thousands of supporters
Famed Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk, on a hunger strike to bring autonomy to the Himalayan region of Ladakh, said on Saturday he was weak as his fast stretches into its 18th day but he would continue for three more days as planned despite pleas from supporters to stop.
Wangchuk’s campaign seeks to highlight the damage to Ladakh’s fragile ecology and glaciers by industrialisation as well as to protest what locals call encroachment by China.
He is determined to complete a 21-day hunger strike although supporters have urged him to end it early fearing further deterioration of his health, Wangchuk told Reuters by phone.
Even after it ends, local people and supporters will take it in turns to go on hunger strikes until he regains sufficient strength to fast again, he said.
Wangchuk added that some 2,000 people had come to his protest site in the city of Leh to show their support on Saturday. Reuters was not immediately able to confirm those numbers.
On Wednesday, thousands marched in the region’s town of Kargil to demonstrate support.