Widows of conflict cry for justice
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 22 2020: RK ongbi Gangabati is one of the many women who have been suffering immense mental trauma as a result of the armed conflict witnessed in the State since decades back.

Gangabati has been leading a life of extreme misery all these years after her husband was allegedly killed by Indian Army in Dimapur in 2010 .

Saying that she has since been living under a fear psychosis, Gangabati said that the sight any men in uniform is enough to make her lose her sanity even today.

"Nowadays, I cannot bear hearing the sounds of knocking door or barking dog.

Whenever I hear such sounds at night I always get up and sit on the middle of the bed worrying whether security forces have intruded into my home again," the 40 year old widow from Sagolband Sayang but presently residing at her maternal home at Porompat Thawanthaba Leikai said.

Widows of conflict cry for justice

She continued that such trauma has been haunting her after she witnessed some army personnel intruding into a rented room at Dimapur and arresting her husband along with two other acquaintances only to receive them in body bags later.

Gangabati was talking about the death of three Manipuri men, namely RK Ronell, Phijam Naobi and Th Prem in Dimapur in March 2010.Ronell was her husband.

While recounting the incident, Gangabati said that she and Prem's wife were also interrogated for hours on the fateful night.

The individuals who barged into the rented house and arrested Ronell, Naobi and Prem later turned out to be army personnel of CIU after an army officer named Dharamveer Singh disclosed the incident through an affidavit in Court.

Revealing her ordeal, Gangabati said that there is always a void in her heart and life after her husband passed away.

"Wheneven I remember him, I used to break down", she added.

Stating that she has been yearning for justice all these years, the widow also expressed doubt if justice would be delivered to her late husband.

Gangabati maintained that her present life is dull and empty and added that she no longer socialises.

Another 36 year old widow named Wahengbam Bibina Devi from Wahengbam Leikai also revealed about her gloomy life after her husband Khangembam Angousana was killed by Manipur Police Commandos in an alleged extrajudicial execution in 2008.Bibina alleged that Angousana was picked up by some personnel of Manipur police commandos while going to a public toilet at the opposite side of his residence at Wahengbam Leikai on February 19, 2008.She said that her husband was found dead next day at a different place.

Apart from claiming that her husband was killed in an encounter, police even placed a gun besides the corpse of her husband, according to the widow.

She said she was informed by some people that her husband was seen carried away in a vehicle near Manipur State Museum at Governor Road on the day he was arrested.

Bibina who lives in a small congested room along with her eight year old son and maternal parents at Wahengbam Leikai decried that her husband had been snatched away by the cruel hands of AFSPA.

The widow went on to assert that she is living only in the hope of her eight year old son.

The widow who lives hand to mouth said that she used to pack bakery items in her home and her 75 year old maternal mother Ningol Leima sells them later in Sagolband to support themselves.

Maintaining that she cannot reap even a single benefit of Government implemented schemes, including widow pension scheme, Bibina said that her family finds it very difficult in ensuring both ends meet.

Meanwhile, Extrajudicial Execution Victim Families Association (EEVFAM) president Renu Takhellambam conveyed that there are hundreds of widows who have been living in a state of extreme misery after their husbands were allegedly killed by armies and security forces in extrajudicial executions.

She conveyed that EEVFAM and Human Rights Alert jointly filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking justice in 1528 alleged extrajudicial execution cases.

The EEVFAM president said that there are also thousands of widows who have been made victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and HIV.