Killed defending the land and people : Tales of widows and orphans
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 13 2024: Nandei-bam ongbi Manileima, a widow of the Meitei-Kuki conflict, and her three young children who have been left without a father are staring at a bleak future.

Manileima is among many others who have been made widows and "surviving for the sake of the children".

Her husband is hailed a "martyr" and she is proud.

But, one can clearly see the sadness in her eyes and the worry she has for the young children, all girls.

Manileima feels "emptiness" inside her heart and is constantly reminded of the void when her children call for their father.

She is worried about her family and her children's future.

More than anything, she wants her children's future secured.

"Help the children and women, who have been made widows, left behind by the martyrs," she says.

Killed defending the land and people : Tales of widows and orphans

Manileima's husband, Nandeibam Rojen alias Naoba was only 32 when he was killed by "Kuki narco-terrorists" on May 28, 2023 .

Rojen was guarding Dolaithabi village in Imphal East when he was shot by Kuki militants.

Rojen was the son of Nandeibam Chingthang-khomba and Nandeibam ongbi Thambalmacha of Yumnam Patlou, under Sagolmang police station.

Violence first rocked Manipur on May 3, 2023 .

Kuki protesters, with armed men first vandalised and torched Meitei houses and shops at the border areas between Bishnupur and Churachandpur district.

In the evening the violence spread to Imphal and other districts in the periphery areas of the valley.

Dolaithabi in Imphal East district was one of the many places where Kuki militants caused havoc among the civilians.

Manileima's husband, Rojen was guarding the village on May 28, 2023 when one of the bullets fired by Kuki militants killed him.

Rojen was the breadwinner of the family.

He did odd jobs and worked in the field on rent.

"My husband is gone and with him, we have lost our hope and means to earn a livelihood," Manileima said.

She said there are many women who have been made widows like her by the conflict.

"Many ordinary men like my husband have been killed by Kuki narco-terrorists.

They were guarding their villages from the Kuki narco-terrorists," she said.

Poor and ordinary people, mostly youths, have been forced to defend villages themselves due to the failure of the Government.

Like police personnel have lost their lives defending villages and civilians, many ordinary men have been killed by "Kuki narco-terrorists.

However, these families of the ordinary men have not been compensated like the others [families of slain police personnel]," she said.

Even as her husband, after his demise, has been hailed as a martyr, the surviving family has not been given the kind of compensation the Government is giving to the families of deceased police and other security personnel, she said.

"Ordinary civilians took the role of guardians of villages due to the Government's failure.

They have sacrificed their lives for their community, their villages and Manipur.

"If the Government can't properly compensate the families of these ordinary men, then only the State security personnel and other forces must be made to guard the villages," Manileima said.

Amid the conflict and the violence, the police and other security forces' personnel are getting their monthly salaries.

However, the ordinary men guarding the villages have little time to earn money for their families, she said.

"Since the day he [Rojen-her husband] left us, I have been running from pillar to post in search of odd jobs.

"When the breadwinner of the family has been taken away, the mere Rs 10 lakh compensation the Government has given isn't enough to secure the future of three children," she said.

Manileima opined that by the time her children become eligible for jobs, the Government would shy away and neglect them.

Meanwhile, at a relief camp at Kamakhya Pemton College at Hiyangthang in Imphal West, Kandabala echoes the same worry for her two children--a girl studying in Class VII and a boy studying in Class IV.

Khangembam ningol Toijam ongbi Kandabala Leima is widow of Toijam Chandramani Meetei of Churachandpur's Thengra Leirak.

Toijam Chandramani Meetei was shot and killed by Kuki militants on May 24, 2023 at Thamnapokpi Maning Ching High Canal.

He was 32.He was the son of Toijam Ibungochouba and Thamballei.

Kandabala said her family fled Churachandpur on May 3, 2023, the day violence started.

"We fled Churachandpur, our home for our lives amid sounds of gunfire and Kuki people burning houses," she said.

After fleeing from Churachandpur, the family sought shelter at a relief camp opened at Moirang College.

"Hurt by what the Kukis did to our home in Churachandpur, my husband used to go to Meitei villages in the periphery areas of the valley to guard the people and their properties.

"We received news of my husband's demise in the early morning of May 24, 2023.As we can't go to our home in Churachandpur, my husband's last rites were performed at my parental home at Naranseina," Kandabala said.

Kandabala said she is worried about her family and children's future.

She said the Government's Rs 10 lakh compensation would not secure her children's education and future.

"The Government is giving jobs in ex-gratia to next of kin of slain police personnel.

Like the police personnel, we have lost our men in the hands of Kuki militants.

The Government should secure the martyrs' children's future by giving them jobs when they become eligible," she said.

The violence since May 3, 2023 has made many women widows and left behind many children without a father.

The list of persons who have been killed by Kuki militants and have left behind small children without a father is long.

The Sangai Express cannot publish all the names of the persons killed but below are some "martyrs" who have been killed and the children they have left behind.

Moirangthem Hemanta, from Okshu, has left behind two small children-a son and a daughter.
Laishram Suresh, from Okshu, has left behind two children-two girls and a boy.
Haobijam Somenkumar, from Pangei, has left behind a small child-a boy.
Rajkumar Prasanta, from Khurai Kongpal, has left behind two small children-a boy and a girl.
Laishram Narendra, from Khurai Kongpal, has left behind two children-a boy and a girl.
Angom Rakesh, from Phayeng, has left behind a small child- a boy.
Angom Basanta, from Phayeng, has left behind a barely one-year-old boy.
Khumanthem Kenedy, from Wangoo, has left behind a one-year-old boy.
Khoirom Meiraba, from Ithai Barrage, has left behind a small girl child.
Heikrujam Robinson, from Khongjom, has left behind two children-all girls.
Shagolsem Ngaleiba, from Sekmaijin, has left behind a small boy.
Phuritsabam Khamba, from Khurkhul, has left behind two children-all girls.
Soibam Nanao, from Salungpham, has left behind two children-all girls.
Laipujam Inao, from Takhel, has left behind a boy and a girl.
Abujam Rondo, from Heirok, has left behind a girl and two boys.
The violent conflict, since May 3, 2023 has killed over 200 and left more than 60 thousand displaced.