The ongoing violence in Manipur since May 3 this year made expectant mothers encounter numerous hardships that jeopardize their health and well-being of their unborn children. They often face increased risks and challenges including limited access to proper health care, exposure to violence and heightened stress level which can give negative impact to both mother and developing fetus. Thirty six year old Ningthoukhongjam Tondon Devi is one among the expecting mothers who faces many privations due to the conflict situation in the state. She hails from Moreh Ward number 4. She is expecting her fourth baby in the last month of December this year.
Tears rolling down her cheeks, Tondon narrated that on May 3 this year some violent incidents occurred in Moreh town in the twilight. The day was the last day of Laiharouba at Moreh where everyone was experiencing it fully but suddenly there was an outbreak of unwanted violence in Moreh. As soon as they heard the sounds of gunfiring, she took her two daughters and dropped them to the Myanmar border dismantling the fencing. After sometimes, around 220 people including her husband and two daughters fled to Myanmar and they took shelter at a Buddhist monastery for around four months. They were provided with proper foods and clothes in the monastery. For their support and hospitality, she expressed gratitude towards them.
On returning back, her house already blazed. The auto rickshaw of her husband was also blazed. Their two shops – one grocery and one warehouse – were also burned down. She had no means to do rather than witnessing the scene helplessly.
While taking shelter at Myanmar, she was two months pregnant. As there was no doctor available in the nearby area, she took medicines after consultation with the nurses only. With the help of Myanmar police and Assam Rifles five pregnant women along with their children were brought to Imphal by an ambulance. Before staying at the Government Dance College, Palace Compound in Imphal, her family stayed at her relatives’ places in and around Imphal. Now, it’s already four months staying at the relief camp. She is taking medicines that is being provided in the medical camp organized in the relief camp for her pregnancy. She goes for regular check up at JNIMS, Imphal. As her expected date of delivery (EDD) is on last week of December, she has arranged some money from her relatives for it.
She is in tension thinking about the special needed for herself and new born baby at the relief camp for her post-delivery period and how to manage her family as her husband cannot find a proper means of livelihood. Sometimes he was hired for masoning for Rs. 500 per day from early morning to late evening. She also expressed her regrets that due to the present situation all the rituals that need to be performed before and after delivery are not unable to perform in the relief camps. The rights of the unborn baby have been violated in her own womb. She feels so upset about her unborn baby that she will not be able to show the place of their ancestral place and its associated stories.
Mentioning about the educational expenses of her other three children; she conveyed that her eldest son is studying at a boarding school in Thoubal district. All the expenses for the school is borne by the school authority considering the turmoil situation and hardship of the internally displaced people (IDP) in the state. But the boarding fees, around Rs 35,000 is still due to be paid for this current year. She is in a state of fear that whether her son will be able to continue his studies or not if the fee is not cleared. Now her family is not in a position to clear the boarding fee of her son. She is not sure about the exemption of school admission and tuition fees for the next academic session. If there is no exemption, her son will surely quit his study. This will be the greatest gift forced by the situation which her family needs to accept unwillingly, Tondon added.
Her two daughters are now studying in one private and one government school being fully sponsored by the school authorities. Her eldest daughter who is studying in class IX wants to become an IAS officer. Tondon felt so sorry for her daughter as she would not be in a position to support her studies if the situation remains extending. Her second daughter who is studying in fifth standard expressed that she is not happy with the situation. She could play with her friends and meet them as they are staying in other relief camps. She felt crying as her lovely belongings are all burned down which includes her beautiful pink frock, jeans pant, shoes, dolls etc. She missed many edible items that were available in Moreh market. Even if many edible items are available in Imphal markets she could not eat as her family do not have enough money to buy it. Their future fortunes are left to God, only God will decide their unpredictable future, she regretted. Sometimes, Tondon feels worry that her unborn infant might have psychological problems when the baby will grow up as she had many stresses and fears during her three trimesters of pregnancy.
She put herself many questions – How long they will live in the relief camp? When they will stay at their own home? How they will find a proper means of livelihood? Whether they can make fulfill their children’s dream of becoming successful persons in their lives? When will all her family members will stay together happily in their own house? and many more. She has no answers for her questions and there is none to answer it. She has spent many sleepless nights at the relief camp. It’s hard to sleep at night when woke up in between. The silent night seems to be haunting. To her, the situation seems to be a dream still now. They could not even meet their relatives staying at different relief camps as it requires money to visit them and many other constraints are there. Sometimes with no money at hand, there is no communication over phone with no recharge.
Tondon wants to settle back at their own place and start a new life there. Their ray of hope for a new life will generate once they settle at their home. During their stay at relief camp, if the authority could provide a proper job or buy an autorickshaw for her husband her dream of making a new life will flourish automatically, she expressed. There are many more Tondons in the state at present who are victimized by this conflict situation. So, there is an urgent need of the hour to address the challenges especially faced by the expectant mother in the conflict situation of Manipur.
