As ethnic violence continues in Manipur, 75 ‘Imas’ or ‘mothers’ (elderly women traders) from the famed women-only Khwairamband Ima Keithel market of Imphal on June 19 arrived in Delhi, insisting that they would only leave only after the Prime Minister addressed the situation in Manipur and presented a concrete solution.
The women representatives of the Ima Keithal held a press conference at the Press Club of India ahead of their sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar, where security was beefed up significantly, with armed personnel inside the Club premises as well.
‘Divisive politics’
The women condemned the “divisive” politics of the government of India and sharply questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Manipur, with one of them saying, “The PM visits sites of disasters, cyclone-hit areas. He even came to Manipur when there were elections. But even after so many days of violence continuing, PM Narendra Modi has not said anything, we have not heard anything about a concrete solution for Manipur. Since the PM has no time to visit Manipur, we have come to Delhi to see him.”
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Shortly after the presser, more than a hundred women, under the banner of the Khwairamband Ima Keithel Joint Coordination Committee for Peace, gathered at Jantar Mantar, where they held up slogans questioning the PM’s silence, seeking a permanent solution and opposing any territorial division of the State on ethnic lines.
The protesters — all Meitei — included traders from the Khwairamband Ima Keithel and 15 other similar marketplaces in and around the Imphal valley.
Memorandum submitted to PMO
They submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office through the Delhi Police during the demonstration at Jantar Mantar, seeking a “special kind of attention” to the situation in Manipur.
K. Dhaneshori, one of the leaders of the committee, said, “Despite HM’s visit and promises, violence has continued without any end in sight. We are also Hindus, we should be looked at as citizens of India.” Another leader suggested that Home Minister Amit Shah meeting with community leaders separately purportedly showed their “divisive politics”.
The Joint Coordination Committee of the women traders went on to squarely position the conflict in the State as one between “civilians and armed militants”, further blaming the beginning of it on “Kuki militants brought in from Myanmar”. They also alleged that the Assam Rifles was purportedly siding with Kuki-Zomi people, even as Kuki organisations have accused the State law enforcement forces of siding with the Meiteis.
The women went on to say that any and all violence allegedly perpetrated by Meitei people was in defence of their homes and lives and purely reactionary.
“It is a sad day that today, children as young as 13 are asking to carry around weapons to protect their homes,” H. Binodini, another leader said, adding that many of them are wishing to join the ranks of outfits like Arambai Tenggol and Meetei Leepun, both of which have been accused of stealing weapons from State armouries and launching mob attacks on Kuki-Zomi villages and settlements.
‘Acting in retaliation’
However, Ms. Binodini and other protesters defended the outfits, saying that all they were doing was protecting their people and acting in retaliation.
“You have to see who started the violence. It was the Kuki militants. They have to be asked to lay down their weapons. We will ensure that our people also lay it down once this happens,” Ms. Binodini added.
While other protests in the last few weeks have seen Kuki organisations call for President’s Rule in the State and Meitei outfits call for cancellation of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact with Kuki militant bodies, the Khwairamband Ima Keithel Committee’s memorandum has not sought any specific measures. But independently, many of the leaders sought that ST status be given to Meiteis, and SoO pacts with Kuki groups be cancelled as well.
The women have asked for immediate peace and normalcy, an end to “armed aggression by Kuki militants and mob clashes”, adequate rehabilitation and compensation to victims, and to safeguard territorial integrity of the State.
The protesters also said that multiple representations to Chief Minister N. Biren Singh regarding this matter had gone unanswered and so they were now approaching the Union government.
However, many of the protesters told The Hindu that they would rather have the State government control the situation. “We don’t need President’s Rule. We have a CM and a State government, don’t we,” asked Liklai Leima, committee spokesperson.
Other women leaders added that they suspected that the Centre was trying to exacerbate the situation by allegedly preventing the State government from responding to the current situation.
