Indigenous women in Manipur, a troubled state in northeast India, have demanded justice for women victims of sexual violence and ethnic killings, most of whom belong to tribal Christian communities. The protests were held on January 21 and 22 in the district headquarters of Kangpokpi and Churachandpur.
The women, mainly from the Kuki-Zo indigenous communities, submitted a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through local authorities. They demanded immediate justice for women who were killed or sexually abused during the ethnic violence that began in May 2023.
According to the memorandum, at least 29 indigenous women were killed during the violence. The victims included young girls, elderly women, and even a woman with mental disability. The protestors alleged that the women suffered extreme forms of violence such as rape, gang rape, lynching, hacking to death, burning alive, abduction, and neglect while in custody.
The protest gained renewed strength after the death of a 20-year-old gang rape survivor on January 10 this year. She was abducted and assaulted in May 2023 and later abandoned. Her death without justice deeply affected the community and pushed women to speak out.
Protestors carried placards demanding arrests of the perpetrators and an end to government inaction. They questioned why justice had not been delivered even after cases were registered and investigations handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Manipur has witnessed severe ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo tribal people and the Meitei community since May 3, 2023. Around 260 people were killed, over 60,000 displaced, and thousands of homes and churches destroyed.
Although the state is now under federal rule, peace has not fully returned. Indigenous leaders say justice and lasting peace will remain difficult without a clear political solution that ensures safety and dignity for tribal communities.
