Two men missing since May 4, 2023; families lose all hopes
Heartbroken mothers pine for pieces of bone to perform funeral
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 20 2024: "Find at least a piece of bone of my beloved son Waikhom Nanao who has been missing since May 4, 2023 so that we can hold his funeral," appealed W Memcha sitting beside her granddaughter at a relief camp set up at Lilong Urup.

The appeal of the heartbroken mother holds signi- ficance as it is a very loud and clear reminder that the State and the country still cannot overlook the pain and suffering of thousands of families who encountered ethnic atrocities first hand.

Nanao (39), assumed dead, is the only son of late W Inaocha and Memcha of Moreh Khunou Ward no 9 and he has been missing since May 4, 2023 .

Two men missing since May 4, 2023; families lose all hopes

W Mikhubi, the wife of Nanao, also died 11 years ago when their two daughters were very young.

The eldest daughter Bidyalak-shmi is now married and has started her family at Wang-oo but W Bidya (13) still lives with her only guardian left, Memcha but not at their home.

Memcha has been taking refuge at the relief camp after a reign of terror was unleashed against the Mee-teis at Moreh in May last year still not knowing when they can return to their hometown.

While speaking to The Sangai Express, Memcha said that she is worried about her granddaughter Bidya Chanu, thinking what will happen to her after she dies.

"I spent many sleepless nights crying and thinking how my granddaughter will live after I die," cried Memcha calling his son's name as she appealed to the Manipur Government to find his son's remains and let them hold his funeral.

Recounting how she and her granddaughter fled the persecution at Moreh, Mem-cha said that they first fled to Moreh police station and Assam Rifles camps at Moreh after Kuki miscreants started attacking Meeteis at the border town.

Saying that her son Nanao never returned after he went to check on their house at Moreh Khunou Ward no 9, Memcha added that they stayed one night at the Assam Rifles camp and moved to the Khuman Lampak relief camp the next day before moving to the relief camp at Urup.

Memcha said that she filed a missing report to Irilbung police station on October 2, 2023 to trace the whereabouts of his son.

W Bidya Chanu, on the other hand, said that she lost her mother when she was at the tender age of 2 while her father Nanao went missing after he went to check his house burnt down by the Kuki miscreants at Moreh on May 4, 2023 .

Bidya, who has been enduring so many losses at a young age, asked how long she can stay at the relief camp with her grandmother.

Tearfully, she claimed that her father might have been killed and buried by the Kuki miscreants.

"I cry most of the time when I'm all alone," added Bidya.

Expressing deep sense of insecurity and the uncertainty of her future, Bidya asked herlself what would happen to her if her grandmother dies.

Bidya added that she doesn't have anyone other than her grandmother.

"Living at the relief camp is extremely difficult," said visibly dejected Bidya.

Reportedly, one Moirang-them Ingo (26), s/o M Netra and M Bina of Moreh Khunou Ward no 9 also went missing on the same day as Nanao, i.e 4th May, 2023 .

M Bina said that she and Memcha have lodged multiple complaints to different relevant authorities to trace the whereabouts of Ingo and Nanao but to no avail.

Bina, like Memcha, also appealed to the State Government to give her at least a piece of her son's bone to hold his funeral.

Bina said that she thinks about what her son could have eaten every night.

"We can't return to our native places and for how long will the displaced people survive on some dal and rice given by the Government," she added.