Making The Halves Better
Status of Manipuri women
- Part 1 -

Seram Neken *

Mary Kom and her ever supportive husband Onler Karong :: Pix - TOI

Women of Manipur take a variety of roles in the society. Right from rearing the children and managing the household; women earn for the family, feed the other members, involve themselves in reforming the society, and take part in policy formulation and governance. Women of Manipur glorify the land by exposing their excellence in terms of cultural and sportive competitions. Since the pre-historic days, women of this land have been known to be courageous and patient. Manipuri women have been identified with their ideal character in society.

Manipuri legends are ample proof that women of the land were a complete person acquainted with all the skills of warfare, adventurous games and sports. In history, when Manipur was invaded by its neighbours, Manipuri women came out to defend their motherland. Besides looking after home and bearing all the responsibilities of children, financial support to the family by doing transactions in the market etc., they also learnt the skill of self defence and offence. As for instance, the infamous queen Linthoingambi of Manipur could capture the enemy when the king was on some other expedition to war. Princess Sija Phongdalokpi, the daughter of Maharaj Gourashyam saved her husband from the clutches of the enemy.

Princess Thoibi of Moirang came riding on horseback from Kwakta to Moirang to save her prestige. During the days of Khamba Thoibi, women of Manipur participated in various athletics sports such as race, Kang Sannaba, boating and horse riding. So it is no wonder to see a Manipuri girl playing the game of Polo sitting on horseback with stick in hand in modern times. Imbibed with the spirit of sports right from the young age, they can easily adjust to any kind of sports readily. It is no wonder that Manipuri girls who are habituated to the indigenous games turn out champions in national and international sports events.

Not only the games, Manipuri girls excel in numerous arts such as Ras Lila dance, Lai Haraoba dance, Thabal Chongba dance and many other tribal dances. Boxer Mary Kom won Bronze Medal in London Olympics 2012. L. Bombela represented India in London Olympics in 2012 in Archery. Th. Sanamacha Chanu participated in Sydney Olympics in 2000 and Athens Olympics in 2004 in weightlifting. L. Brojeshwori and S. Kunjarani participated in Athens Olympics 2004 in Judo and weightlifting respectively. A number of other sportswomen of Manipur have exhibited their indomitable spirit to the world.

Manipuri women gallantly came out to fight for the nation during the two historic Nupi Lals (Women's War) in 1904 and in 1939. In almost all agitations in the society, women of the state have been taking the leading role to fight out errant policy makers and executers. Women vigilante groups in the form of 'Meira Paibi'(Torch Bearers) in every locality of the state have been protecting the youths from the commissions of the security personnel.

In controlling drug abuse and alcoholics, women groups have been burning the midnight oil in local streets everywhere since decades back. The historic nude protest in front of the Kangla in the infamous Brutal Murder of Manorama case reflects the inherent courage and will of Manipuri women. Right from the small economic activities to earn for the family to the active participation in nation building exercises, women always take unlimited roles in Manipur.

In spite of the supposed status women have earned in Manipur society, they are yet to be respected and valued. Most Manipuri women face hardships in earning, feeding and serving families. Many women are still living under coercion of their husbands. Women are always victims, if their husbands indulge in immoral activities. There are also men who forcibly take money from their wives to use drugs and to have drinks and also men who live with second wives out side families.

More disheartening is involvement of woman in perpetrating violence against another woman. In families, localities and society at large, women themselves look down upon their own counterparts. When the son indulges in unwanted behaviour outside the family, no mother bothers seriously. But when the daughter-in-law does a tiny mistake in family, the mother-in-law scolds and even ostracise, as if the former has committed an irreparable mistake in life. Women exclusion are not wholly the perpetration of the opposite sex, women themselves depower their own folks.

During the years 2012 and 2013, numerous cases of molestations, assaults, rapes and murders happened in Manipur. State police has considerably failed to prevent, probe and investigate such cases properly, thereby letting recurrence of the same again and again. For instance, Manipur police personnel remained silent spectators on the attempted assault on a Manipuri female actress by the insurgent leader of an organization at the fag end of 2012. State Police, as an institution for protection of citizens, lost its very purpose of existence out of fear.

A few days later, a girl heading for Christmas celebrations along with her colleagues was molested at a place near the capital city by three youths. To no avail, the girl's team had earlier sought police assistance in reaching their village. Had the police escorted the team to their destination, the unfortunate incident might have been averted. In another case, a young lady called Satyabhama Devi was found brutally killed at a paddy field in greater Imphal area during 2013.

Rape has become the most familiar word in India, particularly Manipur. It is the most naked reality in the villages as well as cities in India. Sometimes the victim is forced to keep her mouth shut by her family, at other times police don't register the crime under the influence of the accused and then the doctor at times may manipulate the report. The ground reality is that hundreds of rape cases still go undisclosed and unregistered in Manipur.

Women infected or affected with HIV/AIDS are the most socially discriminated in Manipur society. The taboo they have to live with is traumatic and lifelong. In spite of many awareness campaigns, not much justice is done for them. Amid repeated mental or physical harassment, the society at large sees women as something not to be forgiven and not to be supported. The worst discrimination women face in Manipur is that of HIV afflicted widows whose husbands gave them the virus and died, leaving behind kids, either HIV positive or otherwise, only to be fed and groomed by the women. Meanwhile, people particularly the male folks started to raise fingers on their chastity.

An HIV affected widow in her early thirties, on condition of anonymity, revealed that many acts of oppression on her and a host of other women of her stature are committed by the opportunist male folks in the workplace, sometimes even at the health service centres, only because of their hapless status. Such types of discrimination, victimization and oppression are not uncommon in Manipur society. The mysterious killing of an HIV-positive woman, Moirangthem Ongbi Rasheshwori (33) wife of M Ibomcha of Manipur on the night of June 2 2011 is one of the most recent instances of HIV related exclusion of women in Manipur society.

She was allegedly killed by her husband for keeping her HIV status concealed. In spite of various laws and policies on HIV and AIDS, there is still the atmosphere of stigmatization and discrimination against HIV infected people prevailing in Manipur. Although the AIDS awareness level, as per official records, has nearly reached cent percent, the quantum of understanding among the general people is still negligible as revealed by such sad incidents.

A tearful 15 year old girl who had lost her father to AIDS eleven years back once shared her ordeal as "I am on second line ART (Ante-Retroviral Treatment) now. My father died in the year 2000. Four years later, my mother left us to live with another man........." - The HIV positive girl along with three other sisters is struggling to survive today. Her elder sister of 22 years continued the narration that as her mother left them, she had to bear the responsibility of looking after her younger sisters. She takes tuition and works in an NGO to earn their living. The hapless girls do also make soft toys to supplement their income. Thus, children either orphans or living with single parents, boldly came out to reveal their concealed stories, to express desires for growing up and studying like others.

In another revelation, a twenty nine year old woman narrated "when my husband was brutally killed by the armed people during communal clashes, nothing except my two small daughters and a dilapidated hut was left at the far away abandoned village in Churachandpur district. Amidst the scare and tearful longing for months, we had to starve many a day.

As an innocent housewife of 19 years, my option was only to die in the footsteps of my husband. However, I was compelled to live for I had to feed my small kids, the age of the smaller being only 6 months then. My elder daughter, 2 years by that time, helped me a lot in rearing her sister even while I was out to beg food from nearby village. I could not die, even though my fate dictated me to do so. My love for my daughters forced me to live, rather to sell my chastity as a woman. I was ready to do whatever that gave life to my children."

To be continued...