Manipur
Evil has invaded, attacked, burned down and destroyed lives, depriving the minds of those who once were neighbors, friends, family…
There is no other way to describe what is happening in the northeastern state of Manipur. It is a war zone.
There are over 50,000 people living in refugee camps. Many are orphaned children.
Those in camps were able to escape but many witnessed the burning of their homes and the killing of their family members and neighbors.
The violence has continued since May 3rd and was started when Kuki tribals gathered to protest the government’s proposed special status for Meiteis. They live in Imphal Valley and account for 53 percent of the state population. The majority are Hindu. The Kuki are Christian and live in the hill country.
Clashes of the two tribes soon flared into rioting, killing, and the burning down of churches, houses, and villages. Women in particular have been subjected to the most horrific mob violence, publicly stripped, sexually assaulted, gang raped, and even murdered.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has often spoken about empowering women and educating girls, had not publicly commented on the crisis in Manipur despite repeated calls from citizens and opposition leaders. It wasn’t until a disturbing video went viral that Prime Minister Modi broke his silence.
The video was of two women, 44 and 21 years old who were captured by mobs. The 44 year old woman shared that right before her eyes, her neighbors, a 56-year-old man and his 19-year-old son, were lynched. The mob then turned their attention to the daughter, 21, and the woman herself. They were held at gun point and forced to remove their clothing–the graphic visuals have gone viral on the internet. The women were able to escape and shared their traumatic story with a reporter from Scroll. That same interview includes a total of four Kuki women sharing their traumatic stories of being captured, beaten and their escape. They wanted everyone to know what happened to them.
During any war or conflict, the greatest impact falls on women and children.
Conflict impacts infrastructure, water, electricity, schools, hospitals and businesses.
Conflict are a serious threat to gender equality, with girls and women subjected to violence and abuse, while their rights to health care, sanitation, education, and
freedom are undermined.
Send relief today the most vulnerable who have been displaced from their homes.