Seven women shave head, carry out cycle rally to spread message of peace in Manipur

their bicycles decorated with placards bearing messages advocating for peace and territorial integrity

Digital Desk: In a march of solidarity, seven women in Manipur made a powerful statement for peace and unity by shaving their heads and embarking on a cycle rally through the strife-torn region. Clad in sombre black attire, they started their journey from Sekmai, a peripheral village, traversing a challenging 19-kilometer route to Kangla, situated at the heart of Imphal.

Kh Shanti, one of the middle-aged participants, explained the significance of their act, describing it as a symbolic protest against the government's perceived failure to curb periodic gun attacks by militants from neighbouring hill areas. Expressing weariness with the persistent violence, she emphasised the collective desire for peace.

The rally coincided with the anniversary of a stormy event, commemorating a year since the outbreak of violence that resulted in significant loss of life and displacement. M Sobita Devi, a prominent figure in the Meira Paibi movement, reiterated the need to remember past tragedies, particularly the unprovoked attacks on farming communities like Torbung and Phougakchao.

As the women pedalled forward, their bicycles decorated with placards bearing messages advocating for peace and territorial integrity, other groups, including internally displaced persons and community associations, also marked the grave occasion. The violence, which erupted during a Tribal Solidarity March, stemmed from tensions surrounding the demand for Scheduled Tribe status by the Meitei community, exacerbating underlying ethnic divisions.

Manipur, with its complex demographic composition, has been a crucible of inter-communal strife, with Meiteis constituting a majority in the valley and Nagas and Kukis predominant in the hill districts.