Sonam Wangchuk Ends Hunger Strike as Ladakh Statehood Protest Violent

Sonam Wangchuk, an activist, has terminated his 15-day hunger strike that sought the statehood of Ladakh, after violent protests in Leh. He spoke of his sadness, that his plea of a peaceful protest had not worked, when violence erupted on the last day.

Trigger for Unrest

The demonstrations escalated when two long-term participants of the fast were taken into hospital awakening popular feelings and creating the effect of a shutdown in Leh.

Wangchuk's Appeal

According to Wangchuk, the agitation was a Gen Z revolution that resulted in frustrations among the youths who had spent five years unemployed and deprived of their democratic rights. He could not ignore these complaints, however, he threatened that violence would erode the movement and that his five-years of hard work would be erased.

Call for Dialogue

He urged both the young protestors and the government to dialogue, urging that peace was the key to having Ladakh living up to its dreams.

Conclusion

The statehood agitation was formally disrupted with the announcement of Wangchuk after fifteen days with both the hope of dialogue and the fear of resorting to violence.