The conflict that started from May 3 this year has affected people of Manipur in different ways. Because of the violent incidents many people have lost their lives, many have become handicapped and many thousands have been displaced. It paralysed the financial sector, health sector, educational sector etc. in the state directly or indirectly. In this conflict situation especially women and children face numerous hardships including heightened risks of gender-based violence such as sexual assault, displacement that exacerbates their vulnerability, limited access to healthcare and education and burden of caring for families amidst disrupted living conditions.
Thangjam Kunjarani Devi of Motbung, Meitei Leikai of Kangpokpi, Manipur is among one of the women who face many hardships because of the on-going conflict in the state. Before the broke out of the violent conflict, she supported her family by running a small road-side eatery near the Presidency College at Motbung, selling local food items. Now, her-daughter-in-law Leima about 41 years is running a small food court at her allotted room at the relief camp opened at Lamboi Khongnangkhong in Imphal West district.
Kunjarani narrated that her house was dismantled by some unknown armed miscreants. As there is no male member in the family, she felt very unsecure with her three granddaughters and daughter-in-law when the unwanted incident happened at Motbung. They fled from their own home and with lots of hurdles they took shelter at many places and now finally take sheltre at the relief camp run at Lamboi Khongnangkhong. Her son and daughter were already lost their lives, eldest son by Corona Virus and the second daughter by some illness after a gap of six months of her eldest’s son death. The conflict situation puts more adversity on Kunjarani who already suffered the agony of the loss of her two children. Her life turns out to be a journey with full of pain and misery from which there is no escape.
It was hard for Kunjarani and her-daughter-in-law, Leima to bear all the expenses of the family by just running a small food court at the relief camp. The conflict situation that started from May 3 adds more predicaments to their lives. As there is no means of earning in the relief camp, Leima started opening a small food court for the last couple of months. They were given Rs 80 per day per person by the authority for maintaining their daily needs. With this small amount it is very hard for Leima to bear all the expenses of her family. Moreover, she has to take care of her mother-in-law as she is undergoing medication for her illness.
Leima expressed that it is very tough to run the family after the death of her husband. She spent many sleepless nights and passes many days starving. But with a firm challenge, she is trying her level best to support her children’s education. With her little earning she is managing her family. Leima tries her level best not to show her misery to her children. She encourages and inspires them to be successful persons in their lives despite of all worrisome. Leima promises herself “never to weep” even though she faces many hardships in her life in absence of her husband. Instead, she motivates them to excel in their studies. Leima expresses her desire to find a secure means of livelihood to run her family. She will be very grateful to the government if they could provide a market shed to her so that she can have a better earning. The big question here is who is responsible for all the pains of the terrible fate of Leima and her three innocent children?
Yengkhom Memma Devi is another woman who faces many challenges and hardships during times of conflict. Memma who is also now taking shelter at Lamboi Khongnangkhong relief camp in Imphal West hails from Kangpokpi, Manipur. She said that their house was destroyed and everything inside the house was all stolen. After May 3 violent incident that took place at Kangpokpi, she felt that they could return home next day. But till now there is no possibility to land her foot in her own house because of the present situation, Memma asserted.
Memma told that all arrangements were set for her son’s marriage. Because of the tragic incidents all the marriage plans have turned into vain. As they don’t have their own house to stay, she is not sure about her son’s marriage. She asked herself many questions – if they keep on continuing such a miserable life as in the camp, would it be possible for her only son’s to get married? Whether the bride’s family will accept the wedding proposal in that condition? Will her son remain as a bachelour? Will it be possible to live their whole life at the relief camp? And many more questions…
With her other family member, they had been living together happily without any financial constraints. They had their own family business before. But now they even don’t have the dream of starting a new business also. As she is not excelled in other skills, it is hard for her to make an earning in the relief camp. The present situation made all her dreams fade away day by day. Remembering all those childhood memories that happened at her place makes her feel so disheartened and upset. Many old books kept by her father in the temple at her place were also destroyed. She was told by her well-wishers of the home town that their house was intruded and occupied by some unknown people of other non-Meitei community. This adds more painful to her life. She appeals the government to make an arrangement to make them resettle them at their own home soon. This is the only prayer she asked for to the government, she lamented. There are many more Memma, Leima and Kunjarani in the state who have unending stories of fear and sorrow in their lives. So there lies the urgent need of addressing the specific challenges faced by women to endure during and after violent conflict in Manipur.
