New Delhi: As Manipur continues to grapple with violence a year after it first erupted, the security forces continue to face the challenge of being obstructed by Meira Paibis — revered figures in the Meitei society — who have taken on the role of vigilantes amid the prolonged Kuki-Meitei conflict in the state.
A group of Meira Paibis blocked a convoy of Assam Rifles Wednesday, when forces were sent to control a gunfight at the Kangpokpi-East Imphal border.
This happened just two days after the convoy of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh was attacked in Kangpokpi district by armed miscreants, while he was on his way to Jiribam district.
Jiribam, which borders neighbouring Assam, saw a flare-up of violence after the recovery of the beheaded body of a 59-year-old man, identified as Soibam Saratkumar Singh, who had been missing.
Wednesday’s blockade, however, was not just a one-off case in the strife-torn state. In April, Meira Paibis had snatched away 11 members of radical Meitei outfit, Arambai Tenggol, from the custody of the Mahar regiment of the Indian Army, and also obstructed the seizure of illegal arms from them.
“This is a menace. Meira Paibis use their status as women as a shield, knowing that it is a deterrent against use of force. These women lead mobs, obstruct security operations, and detention of individuals,” a source in Manipur police said.
In a few instances, the police tend to register a case against “unknown women”. However, no arrest has been made in any of these cases so far.
“Who wants to take another challenge of detaining or arresting these women? They are extremely aggressive. They set vehicles on fire, throw bricks. Detaining them means dealing with another law and order situation in an already sensitive area,” the officer said.
“Each time there is movement of security forces in the valley for any raid to recover the weapons that were looted, these groups come together and congregate to block roads, compelling the personnel to retreat,” the source told The Print.
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No help from public representatives
Another source in the security establishment hinted at the role of public representatives in the entire conflict.
“Public representatives are not siding with the law enforcement agencies to ensure that the situation is controlled. They have failed to convince people to not be violent. Confrontation with the police and security forces has become a norm now, and the MLAs support troublemakers,” the source said.
Security forces have also faced protests affecting their operations from the pro-Meitei outfit, Manipur People’s Army (MPA), the army wing of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) in the recent past.
In a video that went viral on social media, Indian Army personnel were seen being confronted by UNLA-MPA cadres in Manipur.
A senior Manipur government official lamented the blockade of security officers, calling it one of the most challenging aspects of managing the ethnic clash in the state. The official told ThePrint that the problem has persisted since the outbreak of violence and affected all security forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Border Security Force (BSF), while they were being withdrawn from the state for poll duties during Lok Sabha elections.
“The problem of blockade has been there since the outbreak of violence last year and we try to pursue and persuade people to solve this, which does not always work. Army and Assam Rifles are not the only forces, which have faced angry protests and blockade in the state,” the official said.
“Even CRPF and BSF, which were to be withdrawn for posting in election duty in other parts of the country, faced blockade as people affected by violence did not want them to leave at the mercy of miscreants,” the official added.
The official further said that a political dialogue must begin in the state at the earliest to bring the situation under control.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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The title is only “women” otherwise these Meira paibis are the backbone of meitei terrorists group viz PLA UNLF ARAMBAI TENGGOL, security should be given permission to act on these women and lets c whether they will block the road again. at last their thungang will be turn into thumunamthi
Print. How much low will you stoop. ?? A dark spot in journalism. A pure case of one sided journalism showing favouritism and attempt to fool the general public. Are this type of journalism taught at schools.? Instead put in some due efforts to dig out the truth and reasons behind the prolongation of this conflicts. Innocent people of both tribes are suffering with no hopeful outlook in the near future.
The blocking of Security Forces too happens in hills. KUKI women have repeatedly blocked Security Forces on their line of duty. But ThePrint has to highlight the negative incidents of Meitei Meira Paibi. Whenever their is a gunfight or violence, the Assam Rifle will move only from behind of Meitei position trapping the Meitei Village defenders in between the Assam Rifle and Kuki terrorist. This is a repeated event. While Assam Rifle if contested by Meitei, Kuki too protest whenever any force except Assam Rifle is deployed. There is a pattern of Kuki supporting Assam Rifle only and Assam Rifle working only against the Meitei.
Kuki terrorist kill a Meitei farmer who work in village
And Assam rifle help kuki terrorist and blame to meira paibis & Arambai tenggol .
I strongly requested to upload a correct news next time
AR targeted only meitei volunteers. Till today not a single KUKi s volunteers arrested related to killing and house burning. In churachandpur, moreh all meitei’s houses turn into ashes as meitei volunteers or maira paibis or state police unable to enter but AR and other central present there. Instead of safeguarding the area they displaced the meitei’s in the name of safe place(releif camp ) and let them burn thier houses. Same process continue to jiribam.
Paid editor or reporter one sided without knowing anything
Yes… absolutely, cheap corrupted journalist and the media house.