Churachandpur, March 08, 2006: Over 1000 women from various ethnic minorities marked International Women’s Day here today by staging a massive rally to call attention to the plight of the 21 Hmar tribal girls who were allegedly raped by United National Liberation Front (UNLF) militants in three villages of Manipur’s Churachandpur district, in January. A general strike ensured that Churachandpur town shut all its commercial doors as a mark of solidarity.
Openly lambasting the UNLF, in what locals say is a first for the state, the rally was held even as Manipur’s most powerful militant outfit issued a media statement denying the rape charges.
According to Hmar Women’s Association president J L Sawmi, the spate of rapes saw 21 girls being raped on the night of January 16. Fourteen girls were raped in Lungthulien village, five in Parbung and one in Tuolbung. Sawmi added that one other victim didn’t want to reveal her village’s name.
Two girls from Lungthulien village, Lavis and Kwpuithar—who attended the rally and claim to have been present in the village when the rapes occured— said the militants were armed, spoke in Manipuri and identified themselves as UNLF cadres.
“They herded all of us into the street. The men were made to lie face down and were beaten up. They then picked out the women of their choice, took them to secluded spots or inside houses, and raped them. We were too scared to come out of our houses, but we could hear the victims screaming for help. They even raped the village pastor’s daughters; the younger one only 13,� said Lavis. “We don’t know why the UNLF turned against us. Whenever they would come to our village, we would cook for them, make their beds, give them all hospitality we could. But now all we ask is that they leave us alone,� added Kwpuithar.
While the dust kicked up over the past few days swirls strong, the fact remains that none of the victims have recorded their statements with the police, nor have they undergone medical tests to ascertain rape. Sawmi said the social norms of the Hmars prevented them from coming forward.
In their media statement refuting the rape charges, UNLF has said the charges along with the exodus of Hmar villagers from the region were engineered by Indian intelligence.
Source: Express News Service