By Anjuman Ara Begum, TwoCircles.net,
In northeast India, particularly in Manipur, everyday newspapers carry reports of either ‘suspected militants’ killed in encounter or cross-firing or ‘civilians killed by unknown youths’. Civilian population is sandwiched between the clashes everyday by either state actors or non-state actors. Needless to say that extortions, threats, kidnapping and killings are ‘normal’ phenomenon now.
Society is heavily militarized and gun is seen as solution to all problems. Most killings of ‘suspected militants’ are never investigated to ascertain the circumstances leading to their death. There are allegations that youths are kidnapped by the state forces and killed later on in ‘encounters’. Such deaths bring immense suffering on women.
Sana
Women are indirectly victimized due to the loss of earning member of the family. It was estimated that in the year 2009, most of the ‘suspected militants’ killed in Manipur were in the age group of 20-35 years and had families and one or two children. Today Manipur is witnessing high rise in percentage of female headed households with widows of ‘suspected militants’ as the head of the family. Most of these widows were dependent on their husband’s income for their and their children’s needs, now their lives are a nightmare.
L. Rani of Imphal city, Manipur was only 22 years old when she lost her husband. She has two-year-old son. In the morning of 4th July 2008 at around 8 am, Bimolchandra left house on his scooter to buy medicine for his sick sister. Eyewitnesses said that on his way back home he was stopped by a team of Manipur Police Commandos at a place about 3 km from his residence. The commandos drove away with Bimolchandra. Witnesses informed the family about it. The family tried to contact police but got no help. After half an hour they came to know that the dead body of Bimolchandra is lying in the vehicle at RIMS morgue. Later that day police issued a press release saying that Bimolchandra was killed in an encounter.
Suraiya Begum
Khundrakpam Ongbi Sana @ Sana of Thankmeiband Khondram Selung Lekai, Imphal East is 32-year-old widow of Iboyaima who was 36 years old at the time of his death on July 1, 2008. He was a businessman by profession and earned about 2-3 thousand per month and had two daughters. They were a happy family. Sana recalls, ‘On July 1, 2008 at around 6-7 am, Iboyaima went with some cash money in his possession. On the same day at around 2 to 2-30 pm, they came to know that a dead body has been found at Langol Game village near zone 3 which is about 3 km away from Iboyaima’s residence. Later we came to know that it is Iboyama’s body.’ Police confirmed that he died in an encounter while trying to highjack a bus’. After his death life became very uncertain and I am working hard to raise the two daughters and also to repay the loan taken by Iboyama.
Meenar Jaan of Lilong, Thoubal district, Manipur is only 25 years old now and is a widow with two children. She married Md. Musa who was 22 years old at the time of his death and belonged to same village. Meenar recalls, ‘our marriage lasted only for three years. I was happy with two kids. My husband was a small cloth trader and earned about 5 thousand a month. He was not associated with any political organization or with any underground organization. In 2008, I don’t remember the exact date but it was winter season, at around 1:30 pm, a phone call came and he left for the market. There was some dispute over a lost mobile phone and the shopkeeper suspected my husband as the thief. My husband was innocent. It was proved later when he is no more. My husband was arrested there by the police commandos and later we were informed by police that he is dead. Commandos claimed that he was a militant and a gun has been recovered. I was unconscious for about a week after knowing that he is no more.’ After his death Meenar stayed in her in-laws house for about one year and seven months. She was then abandoned by her in-laws. Now she is in her parent’s house living with uncertainty in life. She received Rs 50 thousand as compensation from the chief minister’s office which is in possession of her in-laws.
Meenar Jaan
Suraiya Begum of Lilong Turen Ahanbi, Thoubal district, Manipur is also a 25-year-old widow with two kids. She was married at the age of 20. Suraiya recalls, ‘after marriage I faced too much of problem at my in-laws house. My husband was the son of my father-in-law’s first wife who died long back. My father-in-law used to torture my husband and so we came back to my parents’ house and my husband started working as a driver in public carriers. He was earning very less money and he joined the militant group PREPAK (People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak) in 2009. I knew about it. He used to stay away from me for long intervals. In October 2009, he came to meet me and after a week he got a call from someone. He left home and we had no clue about his whereabouts. After 5 days we came to know that he was killed by the commandos in an encounter. He was killed on October 17, 2009. Now I am living with my parents and I have no formal training to earn. I can’t get job and earn money. I am doing weaving and embroidery for others. I live with this meager income and life seems to be dark ahead.’
Hundred of similar stories are echoing in Manipur. Recently a documentary film called, ‘April 6’ was made depicting the ordeal of the widows. It is available at www.otingpoverty.org. Experts say that about 300 women become widow every year in Manipur and many of these widows are left with nothing to support their lives as they are purely dependent on their husband financially. If it continues for a long time it would give rise to more complex issues as the children of such widows are not getting proper education and they will never forget the trauma of losing their fathers at an early age of their lives. A good rehabilitation programme for these widows may solve the problem to some extent.