'We Are Afraid To Go Back': Kuki Women in Assam After Viral Manipur Video
Over 1,100 Kukis from Manipur are presently staying at multiple shelter camps in Assam's Cachar district.
Kuki womenat a shelter in Assam speak to The Quint
Photo: The Quint
Video Editor: Mohd. Irshad Alam
Hatnu Singson, a 42-year-old Kuki woman, left her home in Manipur's Jiribam district on 4 May and took shelter in Assam's Cachar district with her three daughters aged 20, 17, and 13.
And after a video showing a Meitei mob sexually assaulting and parading at least two Kuki women naked, sparked nationwide outrage, Hatnu doesn’t feel safe returning to her home state of Manipur.
“I have seen a video on Facebook where two women were stripped naked. That is very shameful for any girl. We are terrified,” said Hatnu.
Over 1,100 Kukis from Manipur are presently staying at multiple shelter camps in Cachar district, and most of them are women and children. After watching the recent videos from Manipur, the women said that they are afraid now more than ever.
Many of them said that the fear of being raped in violence-hit Manipur forced them to leave their homes in May, with no hope of returning.
“We are helpless, we couldn’t do anything. What kind of government is this? It has failed and lied to us. Indian democracy, the constitution have failed us,” Lhinboi, who is also at the shelter with her kids, said.
Sabrina Singson, a 20-year-old college student, said that she just wants peace to prevail in Manipur.
Lhingboi is leading the ladies in the camp, and they have developed a discipline of works. "We have distributed the works and we cook food at a common area and different teams of women do this in different shifts," she said.
“Earlier, people from all communities used to live in peace and harmony. But now, everything has changed in Manipur,” said Lhingboi.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)