Suffering of Women in Manipur’s Ethnic Violence

This International Women’s Day, Let’s Recognise Systemic Brutality Against Women

Newsreel Asia Insight #154
March 8, 2024

Women are often disproportionately affected during communal violence in India; their bodies become battlegrounds for expressing power, domination and revenge among conflicting groups. This not only highlights the gender inequality but also underscores the societal norms that perpetuate violence against women in this country, as we recently witnessed in Manipur.

Women are targeted in communal violence because they are often seen as the property of men within patriarchal societies – a perception rooted in gender norms and power structures that view women as symbols of community honour and bearers of cultural identity. Consequently, attacking women is seen as a way to directly assault the honour and identity of the opposing community.

The notion of women as property or symbols rather than individuals with their own rights contributes to their vulnerability in conflicts where sexual violence and other forms of aggression are used as weapons of war or tools of communal vendetta.

Beyond sexual violence, women also face other forms of physical assault, including beatings and mutilation. These acts are intended to instil fear and showcase dominance.

A document, titled “Crimes Against Kuki-Zo Women by The Meiteis Since May 3, 2023, released by the Indigenous  Tribal Leaders’ Forum, which is based in Churachandpur district of Manipur, presents a harrowing account of violence and sexual assault against Kuki-Zo women in that state.

The document outlines a history of sexual violence used as a weapon of war, highlighting past incidents where Meitei extremists targeted Kuki-Zo women, with a notable instance in 2005 where over 21 Hmar tribal women were subjected to mass rape.

On May 3, 2023, Mrs. Thangi Hmar and her family were attacked in New Lambulane area in the capital city of Imphal. Despite providing refuge to 22 individuals, their home was invaded by a mob of 100 Meiteis, resulting in physical assault and the burning of their property.

On May 4, multiple incidents were reported. Mrs. Gouzavung and her son were killed in Lamphel area of Imphal, after a violent mob attack. Two other Kuki-Zo women from B. Phainom Village in Kanggui district were subjected to public humiliation and gang rape by a mob that overpowered the police. Mrs. Chingthianniang was also brutally attacked in Lamphel with severe injuries leading to her hospitalisation.

On May 5, two young Kuki-Zo girls working at a car wash were allegedly raped and murdered by Meitei miscreants in Imphal’s Mamang area.

On May 5 and 6, Mrs. Thiandam Vaiphei from Pheitaiching area in Kanggui district was killed in a gruesome act of violence, and another unnamed woman from Langjing are in Imphal was raped and murdered.

On June 4 – about a month later, a seven-year-old Kuki-Zo boy and his mother were attacked in Iroisemba area of Imphal, with the child dying from gunshot wounds.

On June 10, a 65-year-old woman, Mrs. Dimkhohoi, was killed during an early morning church prayer in Khoken area of Kanggui District.

Crimes against women in Manipur are systematic and brutal, often involving large mobs and the complicity of local authorities, the document says, noting the use of sexual violence, physical assault and murder as tools of terror and control.

The attacks have caused widespread fear and trauma among the Kuki-Zo community, with the document accusing the Manipur Police and local militants of orchestrating violence and spreading false propaganda.

The trauma of experiencing or witnessing such violence has long-lasting psychological effects, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression, as being reported in Manipur.

Women and their families are often forced to flee their homes during communal violence, leading to displacement and the challenges that come with being refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs), such as loss of home, livelihood and access to healthcare and education. This is precisely what happened in Manipur. At least 41,000 Kuki-Zo people remain displaced, as of March 8, 2024.

The loss of male family members during violence can leave women to provide for their families, often without the necessary resources or skills, exacerbating their vulnerability and poverty.

Since May 3, 2023, at least 166 Kuki-Zo individuals have been killed, apart from significant property destruction. Meiteis, too, have suffered in the conflict, but no Meitei organisation has declared the number of fatalities.

The violence started after a directive from the Manipur High Court to the state government, contemplating the possibility of granting the tribal status to the majority Meitei community, which would also allow them to buy land in Kuki-Zo territories. This decision ignited protests among the tribal communities, which rapidly escalated into widespread violence, fuelled by disinformation and extremist rhetoric.

The conflict also has strong economic underpinnings, especially in the resource-abundant Kuki-Zo regions.