The horrific and barbaric video of two women being paraded naked in Manipur surfaced on the internet, has drawn massive condemnation from all sections of the society.
KNKN: Kuki Nute Kiloikhom Nagaland (KNKN), apex body of the Kuki Mothers’ Association, strongly denounced and condemned in the strongest term the egregious crimes perpetrated against motherhood in general and womanhood in particular, especially the shocking incident of May 4 at B Phainom in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district where two Kuki-Zo women were paraded naked, groped, defiled and gang-raped by a group of Meitei men.
KNK president Phalneilhing Singsit and general secretary Phalneilhing Changsan in a press release said the incident had ignited a blazing conflagration of both utter grief and anguish within the Kuki-Zo communities. KNK stated, “The despicable act which mercilessly stripped our sister and daughter of their dignity has mutilated the sanctity of motherhood and putrefied the very essence of womanhood. It stands as a repugnant testament to the depths of human depravity and calls for unyielding condemnation.” According to them, the incident at B Phainom was one of the many such incidents of crimes against the women of Kuki-Zo communities by the majoritarian Meitei community in Manipur.
Alleging that a Meitei landlady of two women in their 20s too had handed over to a Meitei mob to be raped and killed in Imphal, they expressed deep shock at the involvement of the landlady, a woman herself, and asking the mob to rape those two helpless innocent women. They said it was beyond their understanding as to how a women could treat other women in such a shocking manner.
Declaring their solidarity with the victims and their families, they said they remained steadfastly resolute in their unwavering commitment to shield the rights and well-being of women. They demanded that the authorities concerned should deliver swift and befitting justice for the victims. KNK asserted that they refused to tolerate such abhorrent crimes within the fabric of modern society and implored the majoritarian community of Manipur to confront the moral compass of the perpetrators at the earliest.
NMA: Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) has sought an inquiry from the National Commission for Women (NCW) into incidents of violence against women, including rapes and killings, in the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.
In a representation to NCW chairperson, NMA president Abei-Ü Meru, former NCW expert member Dr Rosemary Dzüvichü, former Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) chairperson and NMA adviser Sano Vamuzo and former NSCW member and NMA adviser Abeni TCK Lotha sought her immediate intervention into the violent crimes against women. They said they were aggrieved at the violence perpetrated against women since May 3 this year and continued unabated.
They narrated the abduction and brutal murder of M Lucy of Narum village from the Maring Naga tribe on July 15 by armed persons belonging to the Meitei community and the shocking incident of May 4 where two Vaiphei young women of the Kuki Zo community of Kangpokpi district, were stripped, paraded naked along the street, groped and raped by armed young Meiteis. NMA said the horrifying violence and trauma of the victims in the video that had gone viral was a shame for humanity and everyone in the north-eastern region. They stressed that one could only think and talk of peace when punitive action was served and the victims and their families saw justice.
WSH: Western Sumi Hoho (WSH) also strongly denounced the horrific occurrences in which M Lucy was abducted and brutally murdered on July 15 and in another incident where two Kuki-Zo tribal women were paraded naked in front of cameras before being gang-raped in Manipur on May 4, just one day after unrest broke out in the state.
In a statement, the hoho declared that any condemnation of this awful act would fall short because it was inconceivable in today’s world to use women’s bodies as weapons of violence to punish them during riots and conflicts, or to rape, sexually attack and murder them.
Condemning the horrifying incident in strongest terms, the WSH appealed to the central and the state governments, National Commission for Women, and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to take serious cognizance of the offence and take all necessary measures in order to deliver justice to the victims. It also appealed to government of all the north-eastern states to work out a modality and provide complete security to the victims and public of the violence-ridden state without any delay.
WSH said it was alarmed and grieved by the string of unwelcome happenings in Manipur connected to the ethnic violence that started on May 3 and was still continuing without any sign of peace or normalcy returning.
According to the hoho, more than 140 people had died as a result of the violence that had erupted on May 3 May following a “Tribal Solidarity March” organised in Manipur’s hill areas to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
It wondered why the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were still doing nothing about the string of violent occurrences that was tearing Manipur apart.
WSH declared, “In this difficult times, we cannot afford to remain silent over the violence and bloodshed that has taken a toll on many innocent lives, especially children, women and the elderly. So many churches have been destroyed during the conflict and believers are being targeted which the WSH expresses its deep concern.”
The hoho also wondered why so many civil society organisations (CSOs) in the entire north-eastern states had chosen to remain silent on this conflict, instead of raising their voice only on some selected issues. It stressed that the Manipur violence was an issue where everyone should be concerned and work together to end it, as the violence could escalate further on a larger scale where the region would be affected and every one would suffer ultimately.
The WSH denounced the violence while expressing its support and prayers for the people of Manipur.
WSTH: Western Sümi Totimi Hoho (WSTH) too strongly condemned the incident in Manipur where the two ladies were paraded naked, groped and raped.
Hoho’s president Visheli S Yeptho and general secretary Holi V Chophy in a press release said the incident had pierced their hearts and they were shaken to see women being used as a “revenge tool”.
According to them, the video of torture and trauma was a shame for humanity. They demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits and strong punishment as per law without any bias.
RNPO: The Rongmei Naga People’s Organisation (RNPO) expressed condemnation and outrage over the reprehensible act committed against the two innocent tribal women in Manipur.
Organisation’s president Chingkhiulung Gonmei and general secretary Achong Gangmei said in a statement that the incident, which had been widely circulated in a distressing viral video, had shocked the conscience of the entire nation and warranted a strong action.
They mentioned that the incident in which an unruly mob mercilessly paraded two tribal women naked into a field could only be described as a heinous display of disregard for human dignity, privacy, and fundamental rights.
They declared that no individual should be subjected to such abhorrent treatment, and called upon the authorities in Manipur to take swift and decisive action against those responsible for this heinous crime.
The duo said it was essential that the law enforcement agencies and judicial system in Manipur conducted a thorough investigation to identify the culprits and bring them to justice. They urged the authorities to ensure that this investigation was conducted without any bias or prejudice, and that all the facts were objectively examined to ensure a fair trial.
K Therie: Meanwhile, former finance minister K Therie said Manipur genocide and cruelty had crossed all limits. He mentioned in a press release that there was nothing dirtier than what they were doing to “our daughters and sisters” for no crime of theirs.
He stated that words were not enough to describe the feelings of pain and anger.
According to him, Manipur was Nagaland’s immediate neighbour the people were “our brothers and sisters”. He cited the religious saying “Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself” in this regard.
Therie said he felt more concerned as the Centre had abandoned Manipur, claiming that people of Nagaland too had the same feeling, along with the Nagaland government.
Reminding that it was the responsibility of the immediate neighbour to help each other, he mentioned that it was time the chief minister made his position known to the people. He declared that Nagaland could not remain helpless to the situation.
NECCB: The North East Catholic Community Bangalore (NECCB) has expressed shock and anguish at the ghastful act perpetrated by a group of Meitei mob where two Kuki-Zo Vaiphei ladies were paraded naked, fondled inappropriately, tortured, gang-raped, and murdered in broad daylight on May 4.
In a statement, the organisation said it was wrecked to the core by the dastardly act of the Meiteis and strongly condemned the incident, declaring it as intolerable and unacceptable.
It stated that had it not surfaced on social media, the heinous crime would have remained unknown, which also poorly reflected on the credibility of the law enforcement agencies in Manipur where this tragedy had occurred.
The NECCB said the gruesome incident not only wrenched the hearts of every right-thinking individual, but also destroyed the sacrosanct gift of life bestowed by the Almighty God. It declared that every individual possessed an inherent right to live, a right that was pervasive by nature and which no one had the authority to take away except the creator who made the people in his own image.
Asserting that there was no room for a barbaric act in a civilised society like today, the Catholic body said the community was soaked in pain and anger in contrite with the wretched hearts of the families of the victims, and strongly demanded punitive measures against the culprits, so as to deliver swift justice to the victims and the devastated families.
Outrage over parading of naked women in Manipur
