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The role of Manipuri women in conflicts
By Dr. N. Vijaylakshmi Brara
War, conflict and aggression have traditionally been associated with men. Many sociologists studying
symbolism says that even the shape of the bullets, and its piercing the body has a lot of maleness about
it. Rape and wife battering then form a miniscule part of such acculturated notions. Women in such a paradigm
then become receivers, the sufferers and the most affected. When, consequently the state becomes the
aggressor it is the same women who are the most aggrieved.
What we see in the rest of India is the organizations of women who are raising their voices against the
aggression of the first kind. And what we see in Manipur is the struggle of Manipuri women against the
oppressive forces of the state as well as the private groups who try to shake the edifice of their
society. They have been looking beyond individual; they hold themselves responsible to maintain the order in their
society. They have not yet raised their heads to look whether this order of the society which they feel
responsible to uphold is egalitarian, non-paternalistic and non- exploitative vis-a vis their own standing.
Women ‘s struggle in Manipur has been espousing for a just and peaceful
society. It has been extremely non-violent, peaceful and yet persuasive and assertive. Let me give a brief historical background.
The historic Nupilan:
Nupi-women, lan-battle (Of 1904 and 1939): The 1st Nupilan occurred in the year 1904
against the backdrop of the struggle against imperialism; the 2nd Nupilan, in 1939, coincided with
the struggle against authoritarianism and Nazism resulting in the Second World War.
In 1904, when the house of the British Superintendent at Imphal was burnt down, the men were ordered to go
to the Kabaw valley to bring wood to rebuild the
house as forced labor. The women could not tolerate the
subjugation of their men by the foreigners, protested and succeeded in negating the order.
Following the defeat of Manipur in 1889, Manipur had to pay huge amounts to the British as compensation for
which the people of Manipur had to pay dearly. Manipur, which was once a self- sufficient community
was living on the edge of poverty due to the massive tax, imposed on the people to pay for the
compensation to the British. The king ruled ruthlessly with the Durbar to advise him. There was no democratic institution and dissent was not tolerated. The British ruled through the King suppressing the people, by unleashing a reign of terror, encouraging inter
communal distrust and keeping people ignorant of the popular struggles in other parts of the world. In the midst of the poverty, the common people were forced to serve and feed the petty revenue officials who would
come down to the villages to collect taxes, land revenues.
Under the new dispensation, the non-Manipuris played active roles. While the Bengalis formed the backbone
of the bureaucratic and clerical world of the administration, the trading class of Marwaris controlled the economy of the state. While the Bengalis would depart at the end of their term of appointments, it was not so with the Marwaris. They remained and settled in the secured area of the Khawairamband Bazar, the largest and most important market area. This trading class under patronage and protection of the British Reserve would carry on their trade and business without any fear and hindrance. By exploiting the ignorant locals they slowly hardened their grip over the economy of the state. They were not only the big merchants but also big money lenders. Thus the antagonism of the locale populace against
them can be traced to this role.
Towards the end of 1920, the trading community was held responsible for the price rise in essential commodities, resulting in the boycott of the products sold by them. Khwairamband Bazar remained closed for a long time. Another market “Nupa-Keithel” was established to counter such exploitative dealings. Inspite of the oppressive rule and practices, people tolerated the same so long as there was sufficient
availability of food grain.
In 1938, because of untimely heavy rain towards the end of July and beginning of August, the crops failed. The heavy rainfall again in the end of September and beginning of October led to severe floods destroying crops which were ready for harvest. The people most affected by the acute shortage along with the export of rice were the daily wage earners. The traders collected rice available in the villages through their agents for export outside the state. The large-scale purchase by traders for export outside the state resulted in acute shortage of rice in local markets and resulted in hike in the price of rice. The price shot up by leaps and bounds. By November, most of the rice vanished from the local market.
On one fateful day in December, frustrated by shortage of rice and the price rise, some 50/60 women vendors
proceeded to the shops. They confronted the bullock carts, which were carrying rice for the traders and charged them of selling rice at the time of acute scarcity and prevented them from selling rice to the traders. They brought them out of the market and took them to Imphal police station around midnight demanding that they be arrested. Later, the women warned them not to sell rice to the traders and asked them to proceed to their own homes.
However, soon rumors spread around that women folks have apprehended bullock carts meant for sale to the
traders. By early morning, the women in different localities stopped all the bullock carts carrying rice for sale in the market. The entire women folks from all corners of the valley converged towards State Durbar Office (the present Secretariat) for a decision to impose ban on export of rice.
The State Durbar, which was hurriedly convened, could not take any decision to ban the export of rice from
Manipur in the absence of the King.
The women insisted the officers to send telegrams to the King in Bengal to get his assent and demanded that
they should not leave the telegraph office without getting a reply from the King. Thus the British officers and some members of the Durbar remained gheraoed by the women in the telegraph office. In the ensuing intervention by the armed British detachment, about 21 women were seriously injured. However, the siege was not lifted by the women who had gathered there. The officers trapped inside the telegraph office could come out only in the dead of the night. The King soon returned from Bengal and realizing the massive public outburst announced the ban on export of rice.
The last significant incident of Nupilan was enacted on 28th December, when a number of women were arrested by the police in the Bazaar area on the charge of destroying and throwing bags of rice meant for export
in the Nullah. (It reminds one of the Boston tea party).
During this movement the women activists also urged the people to defy and break the repressive systems of taxation in the name of religion, e.g., Chandol Senkhai (chandan tax), demanded decrease in house tax, agriculture tax, and refused to feed the petty government officials and clerks like the amins, peons etc. in the village.
The Nupilan was called “Tumirei” by the Kabuis. The Kabui women settled in and around Imphal took active
part in the Nupilan.
The Muslim women were also in the forefront in this struggle. Many Muslims took active part and were also
injured and arrested during this movement.
Nupilan to Meira Paibis:
Continuing their struggle against the British, after the attainment of
independence the Imas are now raising their voice
against the excesses committed by the security forces. Manipur is now unfortunately widely known because of
separatist movements, inter-tribal conflicts and drug abuse and AIDS.
Starting with their struggles against authoritarianism and exploitation during the British rule, the Manipuri
women have been in forefront in spearheading peaceful protests against injustices. They have made their
voices heard. Today, in the plains, they are called “Meira Paibis” (the torch bearing women). They hold
Mashaals and roam in the locality to keep a watch on drunkenness and drug-abuse. They have also resisted
the excessive acts of the security forces. They would make a human wall in cases where innocent local youths
are forcibly being taken away by the security forces in the name of apprehending insurgents. They would
even snatch innocents from their custody and in the process have themselves been beaten and assaulted.
They are the only ones who can dare to stand up against the security forces and also scold even the
underground organizations for their excesses. Everybody is cautious of them. They dare to get
lathicharged, to sit for hunger strikes and even go to jail for a right cause.
In 1980, 26th April, the CRPF shot dead a pregnant woman along with three other persons at a place near
Imphal. On the next day on 27th April 1980, a woman vendor was killed being hit by stray bullets fired by
the CRPF. These two incidents can be said to have activated once again the women of Manipur to start the
women’s movement what we know today as “Meira Paibis”. The protests against these two incidents led to more
suppression by the state by enforcing curfews for many days. Curfew was imposed to prevent the womenfolk from
organizing themselves. The authorities were aware of women’s power as had been demonstrated in the past in
the 1st and 2nd Nupilan.
The Meira Paibi movement spread far and wide. Women’s organizations formed to fight against drunkenness and
drug abuses called “Nisha Bandh” groups also took the form of “Meira Paibis” enlarging their struggle to
fight against the excesses committed by the security forces against their excesses during the counter
insurgency combing operations.
In a remarkable display of determination and will power in the protest against the excesses of security
forces, Irom Sharmila, a young woman undertook fast unto death for more than a year though she was
force-fed. She refused to take out bail and is still languishing in jail demanding lifting the Armed Forces
Special Powers Act.
It was the mother of Loken, who had filed the first ever-recorded habeas corpus petition before the High
Court in 1980, after he was picked by the army personnel from his residence never to return
home. The Meira Paibis again took to streets protesting against the disappearance of Laishram Bijoy after the
security forces who remained untraced picked him up. They continued their public protests when
Sanamacha, a young school going boy was picked up by the personnel of the Rajputana Rifles in 1998. The mothers have
always been in the forefront of the public protests in these numerous instances of
disappearance, which have had a telling effect on the law enforcing agencies.
The women in the hills:
Similarly in the hills, the Naga women and the Kuki women are the guardians in their respective tribes.
They played a pivotal role during Naga-Kuki clashes, where barbarism got unleashed in its naked proportions
in the name of ethnic cleansing. Even infants were not spared. It was at that moment that these women went
long stretches in the hills (sometimes walking 3-4 days
continuously) to meet their respective armed militias and underground outfits to tell them to stop killing each other. The Kuki Mothers’ Association is
formally known as, “The Kuki Mothers' Association for Peace and Social Reformation”. During the recent
clashes in Churachandpur District between the Paite and Kuki communities, the women of both the
communities went out into the open and worked for peace. They offered joint
prayers and appealed to end
the mindless violence. They were very clear in their stand.
The issue of bitter Naga-Kuki conflict has been sought to be resolved through non-violent means by creating
awareness and mutual understanding by these mothers’ associations. To bring awareness they have undertaken
peace campaigns by conducting seminars in different localities with the support of Fraternal Green Cross
and Legal Education and Aid Society etc. The Naga Women’s association has in their statement stressed
the need to have a better avenue of working hand in hand with the Kuki sisters in bringing peace and
harmony.
Their activities include going from village to village preaching about peace and harmony and conducting
fasting programs for the ethnic clashes, giving relief materials to the refugees who survived the ethnic
clashes, and also to condemn, protest and demand compensation and judicial inquiry into the killing of
innocent villagers by the security forces. At the same time they, like the Meira Paibis, stand against drug
abuse, prostitution, alcoholism, gambling and the like vices affecting their communities.
Tangkhul Shanao Long (All Tangkhul Women’s Association) was honored with the Award given by the
Indian Federation of Small and medium News Papers in Sept. 1995 for their courage and struggle in bringing
peace and development.
Recently, when the Deputy Commissioner of Chandel District was abducted by an armed underground group,
the various local organizations including various women’s organizations, namely, Naga Women’s Union,
Lamkang Women’s Union, Moyon Women’s Union, Chothe Women’s Union. Tarao Women’s Union, Naga Women’s Nisha Bandh etc. took an active part in persuading the
kidnappers to release the DC unharmed.
In the present scenario we have strong women’s front in every community in Manipur. Among the Meitei
community it is the Meira Paibis, the Naga women’s association amongst the Nagas and the Kuki women’s
association of the Kuki community. But unfortunately we see rare interaction
amongst them. They mostly work in isolation and independently focusing mostly on their own problems without developing a common
strategy. We need to look into this more carefully.
With the help of workshops, seminars etc we need to attempt to develop some kind of a “working” common
front and evolve common strategy, which will have the welfare of the all the communities of Manipur in their
common agenda.
Since the various women’s groups wield enormous influence in their communities, almost all the
organizations, political parties including the underground organizations try to get their support.
Even the security forces being aware of their influence try to win to their side. Just about last
week the Assam Rifles invited the Meira-paibies in their “fort”, (the
Kangla, the ancient seat of the
Meitei kings which has been taken over by the Assam Rifles and the entry of the Manipuris has been
banned). There they impressed upon the Meira-paibies to support them in the counter insurgency operations.
Such is their strength that even the State can not ignore their role. They in turn give their support
and sympathy unhesitatingly whenever they feel injustices have been done.
Similar is the case of the women's groups in the hills, with some differences. Unlike the women’s
groups in the valley, the activities of the women’s groups in the hills who are mostly Christians are
bound by Church rules. The Church has strong influence in almost all walks of life in the hills. The
influence of the tribal customs is also equally strong. Traditionally women are treated as inferior in
the tribal society. Only recently some women’s groups like Naga Women’s Union have started challenging the
traditional roles for women in their society.
According to Ms. Moala Kashung, “it is high time for the Church to think seriously about restrictions it
has imposed on women entering to full time ministry because of their sex. Where a woman shows that she is
being called by God and is capable and committed, the church should not refuse
her valuable services on the sole ground that she is not a man.” The historic declaration of 1993 as the “International Year of the
World’s Indigenous Peoples” on 10th December 1992 and its commemoration by the Naga people as, “Naga Week”
on December 1-5,1993 at Kohima, led to the formation of the Naga Women’s Union, Manipur.
The women’s associations are very strong and powerful bodies. Everybody tries to get them involved even for
petty personal problems. So are the political parties, which float their women’s wings and try to infiltrate
these organizations for their own selfish political purposes, thus trying to politicize these
organizations. These developments would blunt their effectiveness as the fearless watchdogs of the society. They have the whole society in mind. They aspire for the prosperity of the whole society. Their complete involvement and their genuine interest in the welfare of the whole society get diluted in the hands of few political groups who try to dominate them.
The basic issue:
I wish to see our womenfolk above these narrow political pressure groups where no body can dictate them yet they can extend their healing hand to those who are suffering.
One also notes that empowerment of women however, is miserably inadequate considering the tremendous works done by the women folk. The representation of women in Panchayat, Zilla Parishad etc. has not cut much ice as the women representation cannot come out of the corrupt political culture, thus diminishing their effectiveness in these institutions.
There is a lone woman MLA in the entire 60 member legislative assembly. Perhaps more representation of women in the establishment and various official and non official organizations would make the role of women more effective and meaningful.
(Courtesy:
The Imphal Free Press) |
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