Young mother killed by Kuki militants on Nov 9 at Saiton
Orphaned children continue to question why, what
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 08 2024: Why did mother go to the field and why is she sleeping under the ground ? Sofia's 3-year-old baby boy asks'his grandmother at bedtime daily.

The grandmother has run out of answers.

The mother, Sapam Sofia was shot and killed by Kuki militants on November 9 when she was harvesting paddy in a field near Saiton hill under Phougakchao Ikhai police station in Bishnupur district.

She hailed from Saiton Ward No 6 Shantipur Wathalambi and was the wife of Sapam Dayananda.

When Kuki militants fired on farmers harvesting paddy near the foothill, Sofia was hit by a bullet and killed instantly.

She left behind three children - a 12-year-old girl, an 8-year-old boy and a 3.6 years old boy.

When this reporter visited the mourning family, Sofia's eldest daughter of 12, studying in Class V, recalled an odd conversation she had with her mother some days before the fateful day.

Strange but she recalled telling her mother, "You smell like death".

This was some days before Sofia was killed.

When Sofia asked what kind of a smell, she told her "You smell just like grandmother [neighbour] did when she was dead" .

Some days later on November 9, when she told her mother again that she still "smells like grandmother did when she was dead", Sofia brushed it off and gently told her "not to say bad things" .

Sofia smelled the hands of her daughter as any loving mother would for protection of her children, and went to the field not knowing it would be her last day.

This was the last time the 12-year-old girl saw her mother alive.

On November 15, Sofia's remains were brought to the village from the hospital for the last rites.

Sofia's mother-in-law, Nungshitombi said when the remains reached home, her granddaughter wrapped her hands around her waist tightly and told her repeatedly "this is the smell I kept telling mother...I told her she smelled like grandmother did when she died".

Nungshitombi said she has no answers for the questions the youngest grandson asks daily at bedtime.

"At bedtime, he would ask if his mother had been killed by Kukis.

He would ask why his mother is sleeping under the ground and why she went to the field," Nungshitombi said.

Sofia's children have met the same fate she met when she was just a child.

Sofia lost her parents as a child.

Now her children have been left without a mother, she said.

"She had high hopes for her children.

She wanted the children to get good education," Nungshitombi said.

Sofia wanted her eldest daughter to become a doctor.

She wanted the middle child to play football and become a professional, Nungshitombi added.

"Last year, we couldn't cultivate paddy due to the conflict.

This year.

Sofia managed to harvest the crops a day before she was killed.

She harvested the paddy for the family, but she went too soon before she could eat the rice she harvested," Nungshitombi said.

The mother-in-law said Sofia had a plan to construct a small house for the family.

The Government has given the family ex-gratia.

The compensation the Government has provided has been deposited in the names of the children.

The Government has offered to provide the children education till Class XII at their expense, Nungshitombi said.

"The Government has given us compensation, but this will not bring back the children's mother.

How long will the Government keep on giving compensation to kin of victims killed by Kuki militants?" She asked.

Compensation shouldn't be the only solution the Government knows.

Compensation can't replace the motherly love that is now lost forever, she said.

The Government must act, protect the lives of its citizens and their properties, she added.

In the violent conflict since May 3, 2023, women and children have often become victims of crime and they have often been killed.

This is against all humanity, Nungshitombi said.

"There is only regret and helplessness now.

The futures of the children are bleak.

The conflict has taken the lives of many mothers, fathers and children.

The Government must stop the violence at once and resolve the conflict before it makes more children orphans," Nungshitombi said.

The violent conflict in Manipur has killed over 250 people including women and children, and displaced more than 60,000 people from their homes.

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