Woes of Conflict: "Mother, please pray for me!"
Source: Chronicle News Service / Mission Oinam

Imphal, February 07 2024: Last words of Maisnam Khaba (21) to his mother were, "Mother, I am surrounded by Kukis.

Please, pray for me!" .

His mother, Maisnam Ibecha (52) collapsed to the ground on hearing the words, plunging the family into panic.

Soon after, Khaba laid down his life for his community and motherland.

Although proud of her son, Ibecha continues to cry, yearning to see her son one more time in her humble house.

Manipur had been thrown into chaos after Kuki-Zo groups, who illegally entered the state in later years, are demanding separate administration and threatening the integrity of Manipur, while at the same time attacking the Meetei community.

As such, many Meetei youth took it upon themselves to protect the integrity of the state and the community.

Since then, the conflict has been raging for the past nine months.

One such youth was village volunteer Maisnam Khaba, shot dead by Kuki-Zo militants on January 30.Also called affectionately by his mother as "Ibomcha", Khaba was the eldest son of Maisnam Hemanta (53) and Ibecha of Sagoltongba Mamang Leikai, Imphal West district.

A hard-working student from a young age, Khaba passed his matriculate in first division with letter marks in one subject.

After completing his graduation, he had hoped to enrol for masters' course but sadly left the world before realising the dream.

In an exclusive interview with The People's Chronicle, Ibecha recounted that on that fateful day of January 30, her younger son handed over the phone as Khaba wanted to talk to her.

The call happened to be a video call and there were sounds of gunfire in the backdrop.

She fearfully asked where he (Khaba) was and whether he was under attack.

Khaba affirmed her fears and told her, "Mother, I am surrounded by Kukis.

Please, pray for me!" .

On hearing the words, she fainted immediately.

When she regained consciousness, she tried calling her son but he never picked up the phone again.

Ibecha continued that her son was a good student right from childhood.

However, being poor parents, they were unable to fund his further studies.

Khaba did not complain and instead provided tuition class to the children in the locality.

He passed the Class XII examination in first division from Model Higher Secondary School, and had just finished his BA from Oriental College when the crisis broke out.

His father.

Hemanta works as a mason, trying his level best to keep the fire in the kitchen burning.

Owing to their poor financial background, she lamented that her son gave up all the youthful bliss to help his family.

When the results of BA 6th Semester were declared during the conflict, Khaba passed in first class and expressed his will to pursue the masters' degree.

He used to frequently tell his parents that after he completed his masters and got a suitable job, their life would become better.

However, the light of their family has been cruelly taken away from them, mourned Ibecha.

She then said that many women, just like her, have lost their children, while many others have been widowed by the conflict.

If the conflict were to continue any longer, only parents who have lost their children, widows who have lost their husbands and children who have lost their fathers or both parents, would be left in the state.

As such, the government need to bring about an amicable solution to the prevailing conflict at the earliest and restore peace and harmony in the state, she urged.

Mention may be made here that since the conflict began on May 3 last year, many lives have been lost and thousands displaced.

Almost everyone in the state has been affected by the violence and the economy is in peril.

Families have been left shattered and many left to mourn for their friends.

Taking all of these into consideration, the government seriously needs to take up some concrete steps at the earliest to end the nine-month long conflict and restore peace and normalcy in the state.

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