Women's bodies as terrain of war: Experiences from Manipur
- Part 2 -

ZK Pahru Pou *

2. The naked protest of Manipuri women, 2004: Let's fast forward our discussion to 2004, to the incident of naked protest by Manipuri women. The naked protest is forced by the beastly act of rape and murder by Assam Rifles of a young Manipuri woman. On the fateful night of July 10, 2004, a thirty-two-year-old Thangjam Manorama was picked up from her home by 37th Assam Rifles on wild allegation of being associated with an insurgent group.

According to arrest memo, no incriminating items were found at the time of arrest but later it was said that a hand grenade and other items were seized from her home. The next day ie on 11th July, her lifeless and bullet ridden body was found in the field four km away from her home. Assam Rifles claimed that she was shot while trying to escape. However, no blood was found nearby the body. There were gunshot wounds to the genitals. An autopsy revealed semen marks on her skirt suggesting rape and murder. An ghastly act was committed by the so-called 'security forces'.

In the name of performing its official task, the Indian security forces used sexual violence against women to inflict fear in the minds of people living in conflict areas as in Manipur and Kashmir. Someone had aptly put it, "an injury to one is an injury to all." The incident had led to widespread and extended protest in Manipur and in many parts of India.

Around 30 middle-aged Manipuri women walked naked through Imphal to the Assam Rifles headquarters at historic Kangla Fort with a banner "Indian Army Rape Us". The protestors also shouted, "We all are Manorama's mothers." Manipuri mothers used nude protest to fight against human rights abuses and get justice for their daughters.

In December 2012, the central government set up 'The Committee on Amendments to Criminal Law' (popularly known as the Justice Verma Committee) to review laws against sexual assault.

The Committee noted that the use of AFSPA has legitimized sexual violence against women and recommended for immediate review of this draconian Act.

In its recommendations, the Committee said that sexual violence against women by members of the armed forces or uniformed personnel should be brought under the purview of ordinary criminal law. However, army officials defended the Act saying that removing the requirement for sanction in cases of violence against women, as recommended by the Justice Verma Committee, would have a "de-motivating" effect on army personnel.

Lt Gen Harwant Singh, Former Deputy Chief of Staff for the Army wrote: "No military personnel would want to get involved in false civil cases and spend the next few years doing the rounds of civil courts where all false evidence from the hostile local witnesses will be marshalled against them."

The Supreme Court of India upheld the constitutional validity of the AFSPA, ruling that the powers given to the army were not "arbitrary" or "unreasonable." Activists called the ruling "shocking" and legal commentators questioned whether the Court had adequately consider that AFSPA violates the framework of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India, particularly the rights to equality (Article 14); expression, assembly, association and movement (Article); and life and personal liberty( Article 21). The use of the AFSPA that grants impunity for rights violations by security forces has thus legitimized sexual violence against women.

Conclusion: The above discussion shows only an ice-berg of women's daily experiences in a patriarchal society of a militarised state – Manipur.

Firstly, in Operation Bluebird, sexual violence against women was used as a means of counter insurgency operations. Women suffered because of the sin (attack on security forces) committed by men (insurgent groups). Secondly, in the case of Thangjam Manorama, it is clear to one and all that the impunity granted to security forces by AFSPA is a great threat to women's security. Anytime, any woman can be arrested, raped and murdered by security forces in the name of discharging its official duty.

Thirdly, the incident of mass rape shows that ethnic based insurgent groups can harass, molest or rape women of other ethnic groups without being prosecuted in civil court. There are many other similar incidents, but which are unreported, where members of insurgent groups raped or sexually harassed women.

Many Manipuri mothers continue to give birth with full of tension for their daughter's future. Will their daughters be arrested and murdered like Manorama by India security forces or will they be raped like Hmar women by cadres of insurgent groups? Words alone cannot convey the untold misery of sexual violence against women and their post traumatic experiences.

India along with the rest of the world rose to condemn in strongest terms the sexual atrocities committed against women by Muslim extremists in Syria- ISIS or in Lybia-ISIL. However, it is India, the biggest democratic country in the world, which overtly allows using sexual violence against its own citizens/women in NEI and Kashmir.

AFSPA gives protection to security forces (especially men in uniform) to harass, molest and rape women. No army can be brought to civil court unless sanction by the Centre government.

Many army and police personnel who were charged with extrajudicial killings and rape cases were awarded medals by state and central government as Gallantry Award. This speaks volumes of the patriarchal mindset of the state that endorses and does not hesitate to use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.

As long as militarisation process goes on, men will continue to use women's bodies as terrain of war. Irom Sharmila (called the Iron Lady of Manipur) alone cannot fight against AFSPA. The project of militarisation carried out by patriarchal state and accompanied by rape, murders, torture, forced disappearance, etc., must be fought together leaving behind individual and ethnic interest, gender division, regionalism, religious and political affiliations. Militarisation must be stopped so that mothers can sleep in peace knowing that their daughters are safe and secure in their land.

Concluded ...