CorCom shares thoughts on International Women's Day
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 07 2024: Appreciating the contributions of women in the fields of culture, tradition, economy and politics throughout the course of world history, the Coordination Committee (CorCom) has greeted all the womenfolk of Manipur on the occasion of the International Women's Day (March 8) .

A statement issued by CorCom media coordinator M Shak-Hen remarked that this year's theme 'Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress' is aimed at ensuring equal participation of women in social, economic and political affairs of the world.

Although the International Women's Day took a concrete shape in Europe in 1991, it has been recorded in history how Manipuri women fought the First Nupi Lan against the exploitative British colonial rulers in 1904 .

The Second Nupi Lan of 1939 was a strong women's movement against the king who was then under total control of the colonial rulers, it said.

The most important women's movement is the Meira Paibi movement which started in 1980 against the suppressive policies of India.

The two Nupi Lans as well as the contemporary Meira Paibi movement are against alien regimes.

There is a difference in the women's movements seen elsewhere across the world and the one seen in Manipur (Kangleipak).

In Manipur (Kangleipak), women's empowerment or rights are secondary whereas the collective interest of the State is put in the forefront, the CorCom said.

The seemingly elected Government under which citizens appeared to be free, many rights promised but without meaning and elections, not real elections, are held is a fascist regime, it alleged.

Manipuri women regularly brought laurels for India by winning medals at Asian Games, Olympics and other international championships, but the alien rule has been oppressing the Manipuri women.

Brute forces were unleashed upon protesting women even to the extent of subjecting them to electric shock.

It only indicated that Manipuri women are women of occupied territory, it alleged.

India is a strange country; it creates issues and the people protesting against these issues are subjected to oppression, the CorCom further alleged.

Manipuri women who understand this reality often say that observation of the International Women's Day is not a festival as done in Europe and the USA.

Economic empowerment of women is a prerequisite for protection of women's rights.

But Ima Keithel is characterised by trifling profit which trickle down from big non-local businessmen.

Manipur too produces different products.

Even though there are surplus products during the plantation season, the products are sold at very cheap prices as there are no facilities for storing them safely for off season.

Thus the farmers incur loss, instead of earning profit, it said.

In the absence of a proper labour policy, women labourers engaged in construction works and mining sand, stones etc, have been becoming poorer and poorer.

With the yarn market totally monopolised by non-local businessmen, it appears that weavers are working to earn profit for the non-local businessmen, it said.

With the advent of modern machinery for harvesting paddy, many agricultural labourers have been left jobless.

There should be a proper policy to accommodate them.

The alien rule and its policies have been oppressing Manipuri women to the extreme, it alleged.

In elections held under the cloak of democracy, many women belonging to poor families are given money and fed with delicacies.

Thus, the alien rule has been grooming a new culture of earning easy money, it remarked.

Although freedom and equality are said to be the fundamental elements of democracy, both the elements are absent in the Indian regime, it alleged.

On account of the protracted violence, a large number of women have been protesting on streets while many others have been keeping vigil every night at foothill areas.

The situation has seriously affected the market economy.

Moreover, 10,000 hectares of paddy fields were left uncultivated because of the protracted violence and the Government of India has been watching silently when the National Highways are openly blocked.

The situation has severely affected the womenfolk, particularly those belonging to economically weaker sections, it continued.

CorCom would continue to fight for women's rights and dignity, and against oppression of women.

At the same time, Manipuri women, fully knowing that they have no other option than sustained struggle have been bearing all the injustices and oppression, it said.

On the occasion of the International Women's Day, CorCom called upon all the people to fight collectively for women's freedom.

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