At New Delhi's Jantar Mantar, Meiteis Rally for Peace in Conflict-Torn Manipur

Cameraperson: Ribhu Chatterjee

Video Editor: Prashant Chauhan

"My own sister, who was seven months pregnant, was stuck in an army camp for five days with no food or water. The day she was rescued by the army, she was not even in a condition to walk," Hanglem Robina from Churachandpur district, Manipur, told The Quint during a Meitei peace rally at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on 4 June.

"I want to go back to my land, and I want safety measures," she added.

Robina was one of the hundreds of the Meiteis who had congregated in the heart of the national capital. It has now been over a month since ethnic violence erupted in Manipur between the Meitei and the Kuki communities. In their peace rally, the Meiteis sought an end to the violence that has engulfed the state.

The Quint spoke to some of these Meiteis to understand their demands.

The Hindu-Muslim Comparison

Bhagat Oinam, a professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, when asked about the prospects of peace between the Meiteis and the Kukis, gave the example of Hindus and Muslims.

"Tell me something, Hindus and Muslims of India have fought with each other so many times in the past. So many riots. But they still live together, right? Delhi has Hindus, and it also has Muslims. This is not new in India," he argued.

Professor Oinam then asserted that even Kukis and Nagas have fought violently in the past, implying that they are living in harmony with each other.

"We have to live a peaceful life. Otherwise, how will we survive?"

He further went on to say that Meiteis are fleeing their villages, and are being forced to pick up "licensed guns" to defend themselves. "If we are being killed, then we have to try and defend ourselves."

'7 Months Pregnant Sister Stuck in Camp for 5 Days'

Hanglem Robina, who hails from Churachandpur, told The Quint that thousands of Meiteis from her district are homeless, and many are also dead.

"Despite Manipur being our home, we are scattered across the state. We have no place to stay, nothing to eat, and no way to earn money."

Robina pointed out that while people have come forward with contributions to aid Meiteis, such a system is not sustainable in the long run.

She then went on to narrate the ordeal of her sister, seven months pregnant, who "was stuck in an army camp for five days with no food or water. The day she was rescued by the army, she was not even in a condition to walk."

"I want to go back to my land but I want safety measures from the government's side to make sure that we are not attacked again. At the same time, if the Kuki people come back to the valley, then nobody is going to harm them. It's the fear that they have inside them. We have never stopped them from coming back," she concluded.

'Don't Blame the Manipuri Kuki'

The Quint also spoke to Amrik S Pahwa, a Manipuri Sikh and a former commissioner in the state. "I was born in Manipur. These people here are Manipur's ambassadors of peace. They want peace. The fire that has been set to Manipur, they are here to express grief about that."

Pahwa argues that the common people of Manipur don't want to fight. They want peace and leave. "This is some high-level politics and power struggles that are causing this violence."

Additionally, 34-year-old Thajalembi Chanu said that while Meiteis are asking for peace, the Kukis are asking for a separate administration. "We don't want that. We want Manipur's territorial integrity to be restored. Of course, both Meities and Kukis and suffering, but Meiteis are suffering more. And I don't blame the indigenous Kukis."

Another lady at the protest, who was sitting next to Pahwa, agreed with Chanu's assessment, saying that the Manipuri Kukis are peace-loving. Pointing to her placard, she asserted that it is the "illegal immigrants who have caused this chaos."

"Manipur is dearer to me than my life. Manipur is Manipur. I have seen the whole world, and I can confidently tell you, there is no place on Earth like Manipur."