Women Take a Stand: Sit-In Protests Against Assault

Thousands of individuals, primarily women, organized a massive sit-in protest in Manipur, a violence-stricken state in northeastern India. Their main demand was the immediate arrest of all individuals involved in a horrifying attack that took place in May. The attack involved the naked parade and molestation of two women, and the entire incident was captured on video. Religious and women’s group leaders addressed the approximately 15,000 protesters, who also called for the removal of Biren Singh, the state’s top elected official. This protest took place in Churachandpur, a town located 40 miles south of Imphal, the state capital.

Manipur has witnessed a near-civil war due to protests by Christian Kukis against the demand made by mainly Hindu Meiteis for special status, which would allow them to purchase land in the hills populated by Kukis and other tribal groups, as well as secure a guaranteed share of government jobs. Despite the government’s efforts to block the internet and exclude journalists from the state, a video showing the assault on the women caused wide outrage and has been extensively shared on social media. The video depicts the two naked women being surrounded by numerous young men who grope their genitals and drag them to a field.

On Saturday, the Manipur state government announced the fifth arrest in connection with the attack. Police stated that they were conducting raids to apprehend other suspects. In the Indian capital, around 400 men and women also held a protest with similar demands. They carried placards with messages such as “We demand action against the perpetrators” and “Resign, Biren Singh.” The protesters in Manipur assembled at a “Wall of Remembrance” in an open ground in Churachandpur, a stronghold of the Kuki tribe. They placed dummy coffins to commemorate the individuals from their minority community who have lost their lives in the ongoing violence.