Army says women in Manipur are interfering in operations, activist question role of the forces

Women activists in violence-hit Manipur are deliberately blocking routes and interfering in operations of the security forces, the army said on Tuesday while citing recent incidents where women-led mobs stopped the forces during operations conducted to restore peace in the violence-hit state.
"Women activists in Manipur are deliberately blocking routes and interfering in operations of the security forces. Such unwarranted interference is detrimental to the timely response by the security forces during critical situations to save lives and property," Spear Corps of the Army said in a message on Twitter.

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The Army also posted a video on twitter showing incidents where women allegedly accompanied the armed rioters and blocked the movement of the security forces and logistics in order to aid in carrying out violence.

The statement comes two days after the army said that a women-led mob of 1,500 people forced them to "hand over" 12 cadres of KYKL, a banned insurgent group based in the Valley, detained during an operation at Itham village in Imphal East district. As the mob surrounded the army troops, they had to hand over the militants to the village leaders and leave the place with the seized weapons.

The video cited an incident on June 23 at Yaingangpokpi in Imphal East district where the women blocked the movement of troops to an area where armed miscreants entered to carry out an attack. The video said the women were carrying the armed rioters in vehicles including an ambulance while some others blocked the movement of troops. The women blocked the road to prevent movement of troops even before arson started at Khamanlak, it said. The video further said the women dug up a road by using excavators to block entry and exit routes to an Assam Rifles base.

"The Indian Army appeals to all sections of the population to support our endeavours in restoring peace," the army said.

Activist's reaction

Asked about the allegations, Binalakshmi Nepram, a human rights activist from Manipur told DH, "Mothers in Manipur are enraged that no support is coming from the Prime Minister and the armed forces and due to continuous attacks on the peripheral Meitei villages as well as killing of several of their sons and they have come out in thousands on the streets."
Nepram, who has been calling for involvement of the women in the peace process, also said that the anger could be due to the failure of the central security forces to play their role as neutral forces. "Even some Rapid Action Force personnel were caught on CCTV burning houses and five of them were even suspended recently. Hence the women have come out to protect and defend Manipur."
The Army was called in on May 3 after the clashes broke out between the Meitei and the Kuki community over the former's demand for ST status. At least 115 people have died and over 60,000 others have been displaced due to the violence since then.

The Army and other security forces launched combing operations as sporadic incidents of arson and firing continued. Home Minister Amit Shah, who met Manipur CM N. Biren Singh on Sunday in New Delhi, also expressed concern over "visible lawlessness" in the Valley districts where mostly the Meiteis live.
On Tuesday, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Ukey met defence minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and apprised him about the situation in Manipur and the ongoing operations to restore peace.