VOICES FROM GROUND ZERO: ZO VILLAGE WOMEN STAND FIRM AGAINST POLITICAL EXPLOITATION
Women groups from Lamka have been protesting day and night at Torbung-Kangvai against the Government's decision to withdraw the 9 AR at Kangvai, Lamka. As per the order availed by the Fieldnotes, the 9 AR/ 27 Sector/ IGAR (S) (Kangvai) is to relieve 25 AR/6 Sector/ IGAR (N) at Jalukie (NL). It is learned that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will be replacing the 9 AR. The Joint Women Group submitted a memorandum to Shri Amit Shah, Union Home Minister on August 5, 2024, expressing their key concerns with the replacement of 9 Assam Rifles Battalion with a CRPF unit. The memorandum stated that, the perceived lack of confidence that the tribal communities have in CRPF, particularly because the current Deputy Inspector General (Operations) of the CRPF is Mr Premjit Huidrom, who is a Meitei.
The women’s group and other CSOs have submitted various memorandums to the concerned authorities requesting to revoke the order. Talks have been held between leaders of the communities with the concerned authorities, including Brigadier Michael D’ Souza, 27 Sector, however, there has been no positive response from the authorities and were adamant about materialising the order.
The communities expressed their apprehension about the coming of CRPF recalling the fateful incident of July 27, 2023 firing incident. On July 27, 2023, the Zo ethnic villages around Kangvai-Torbung were under incessant attacks from the Meitei commandos and Meitei militants clad in khaki from the previous night till the following day. The villages reported heavy shelling of mortars, which could amount to 40-60 from the Meiteis. The reported firing incident in the Kangvai-Torbung area was different from the earlier clashes owing to the disappearances of Central Security forces and the free hand the Meitei Commandos have in Tedim Road. Recalling the incident, one Zo village volunteer who was present at the site stated that two Casper trucks of the Central Forces were parked on the Tedim road with no presence of any Centre Security forces in and around the buffer zones and on the road. This, the villager said, gave the Meitei militants the chance to come inside the Kangvai-Torbung areas with their bulletproof vehicles and rained down indiscriminate firing on the Villagers. Following the incessant bullets raining on them, one Zo village volunteer Mr Lunminthang (38) husband of Mrs Veineineng was shot dead and three others were injured with a bullet wound which needed medical attention to this day.
One of the leaders of Kangvai Village Women Wing told Fieldnotes that ‘it is not that the 9 Assam Rifles sided with us that we are against their transfer. We want them to stay because they are a neutral force, not under the Meitei Chief Minister. Infact, on May 3 and 4, 2023 during the peak of the attack the 9 AR did not fire a single bullet to protect us against the aggressive Meitei force. Our very own leader- Kamlallien, the then President YVA Kangvai was shot dead at close range by the Meitei Commando in front of the AR post, just a few metres away from AR. They were neutral and did not interfere. However, we lost trust in the CRPF, be it at Jiribam where they are colluding with the Meitei Commando or when they deserted us on July 27, 2023, so that the Meitei could come and attack us. On that day, puzzled by the continuous attack, the village volunteers went to see the CRPF post to learn that they were gone. I can tell the time they went to check, it was at 2:30 am.’ After the firing had stopped, the CRPF attempted to reoccupy their post, however, they were forbidden by the villages on the grounds of dereliction of their duty to protect the villagers. Later, the Kumaon Regiment occupied their place and now the Garhwal Rifles.
Another leader continues, ‘The Indian Army and neutral forces are always welcome to ensure peace between the two communities. But not the Police forces that are under Meitei Chief Minister Biren Singh. We know that those who come and go are here following orders- to work as an employee of the Central government, we are here to protect our land and are ready to sacrifice our lives if our land requires it. If the Centre Government in cohort with the State Government is so indifferent towards our plight and they feel the utmost need to transfer the AR, we will agree with them leaving, but on the terms that, the CRPF nor the Army/AR should come and step foot again in our ancestral Zo land. Their vacated camps can always be utilised for providing shelter for the thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).’
Despite the odds with the unilateral policies of the Government against the Zo communities, the spirit of community resilience resurfaced once again. Women from all localities irrespective of Zomi, Kuki, and Mizo affiliations took turns to stay vigil at the border day and night, to keep watch against the border being unguarded and protected. The current forces guarding the border were felt by the State government as incompetent and needed a replacement with the State-controlled central police forces that have a history of alleged nexus of colluding with the Arambai Tenggol and armed Meitei militants involved in attacking Zo villages in different parts of the State. The Zo Women group, in particular, are voluntarily assisting the women manning the border with basic needs and requirements.
In Photo: The closed route manned by the Garhwal Rifles preventing the Zo villagers from crossing the line as the Meitei armed militia are present at about a few hundred metres
In Photo: A grievances statement raised by the Women Group at Kangvai, Lamka
In Photo: Residence of a Zo villager in Kangvai now occupied by the army. The residence was once occupied by the CRPF whom the Zo villager claimed to have left their occupied residence which left the Zo villager defenceless.