An ordeal of a tribal man living in Imphal

The start of ethnic cleansing pogrom :-


The time was 6pm 3rd May 2023 and it was getting dark. We had a friendly football match at National game village turf with few friends. After the match, we saw that our phones had dozens of miscalls from families and friends asking us of our whereabouts. We've learnt that Meiteis have started attacking tribal populated areas and had already torched New Checkon Tribal market. On our way back, we couldn't help but noticed that police patrol vehicles were parked at every corner of the streets in Langol and Lamphelpat area. At that point we thought we were safe and police personnel would protect us. But had there been an attacked on us, little did we know that the scenario could've been much worse.
Luckily, we reached home safe and sound but we were straight away glued to our phones checking which church got torched next. The night was unsettlingly long and anxious as we couldn't help but wait for whom they will come next.
The next morning, not having slept the whole night we head out to look for a hideout and decided to lodge ourselves in at the nearest CRPF camp.

Inside the camp, we noticed there were people already in numbers. The tribals(Kuki-Zo) from all over Imphal area started to seek refuge inside the camp one after another. We were on the impression that we'd be escorted to our respective villages that day itself but what awaits was the beginning of the ordeal.
Even inside the camp, meitei goons could be heard shouting from the outside, "Fucking tribals, wanna live much huh?!", mockingly.
We stayed at the camp for 3 days and 3 nights i.e. 4th, 5th and 6th of May. It was brutal and exhausting. There was no bed, no food, no water so we did whatever we needed to do to survive. I mean the CRPF did serve us some daal porridge but just a spoonful per person so you can't call that food. And all the while we were also preparing mentally for the day when they will come to reign attack on us. But unexpectedly to our relieve, CRPF police personnels told us if anyone wants to go to the airport they will be dropping us. So, we booked tickets right away asking our family/friends staying outside Manipur to book for us as internet was cut off. The next morning, despite the risk of attack on the way, we gladly took it and could reached airport unharmed with the army escorting us all the way. We stayed and slept at the airport for 2 days and 2 nights i.e. 7th and 8th of May. But after reaching airport few good samaritans did serve us a better meal compared to the camp. I didn't slept nor had a proper meal nor bath for five days. It was such a horrible experience one could have.
The experience could differ for each camps so I can't speak for other campers. It somehow reminded me of concentration camps from the world war movies.

This whole experience took me back to high school where meitei kids would keep on bullying us tribal students. When we retaliate and had some alterations and started brawling, a meitei teacher would take their side. I still remember one such incident quite clearly. Now it's not the teacher who are siding with them, it's the Manipur Police/Commandos.
So, this hatred they have for us or sidelining us as someone alien has started long time back. It's just that they can't do what they are doing now back then coz they didn't have a good back-up story to fabricate. They were very happy and proud of being in a general category. They loathe STs calling us Haothu (tribal fucktard) and now they wanna be one ! How ironic !!

When the C.M, the state police force and the majority public are of the same clan and none of them have any ethical values whatsoever, the people who are against them or their draconian agendas or the people whom they despised would suffer, inevitably. (Suffer - Murdered, Raped, Looted, Abused physically and mentally, left Homeless)

Comments

Popular Posts