From Nupi Lan To Now! Remembering Manipur’s Women Who Defend A Shattered Land On March 8 News24 –

On March 8, 2025, as the world celebrates International Women’s Day with slogans of empowerment and equality, the women of Manipur stand at a painful crossroads—where history meets hardship, and survival is still a daily battle.

For generations, they have fought to protect their land, their people, and their dignity. Over a century ago, the fearless women of Nupi Lan rose against colonial rulers—first in 1904, defying forced labor, and again in 1939, battling starvation. Today, their daughters and granddaughters carry that same fire, marching through the streets with torches in hand, demanding justice, safety, and the right to exist without fear. They are more than survivors of conflict. They are the keepers of their people’s resilience, standing tall even as the world looks away.

Though Manipur remained a tough challenge for the central government for decades, with frequent ethnic conflicts between the Kuki and Meitei groups, the state has recently endured nearly two years of intense strife. Since the outbreak of violence on May 3, 2023, more than 250 people have been killed, and around 60,000 displaced in clashes between the tribal Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities. Yet, despite the turmoil, Manipuri women—whether Meitei peacemakers or Kuki survivors—continue to rise.

Today, as roads reopen under armed guard and tensions simmer, their story is not just a memory but a living struggle—echoing International Women’s Day’s call for rights and resilience in a land torn apart.

Nupi Lan: A Legacy Of Resistance

The First Nupi Lan was a significant revolt led by women in the Imphal West district of Manipur. Two women-led demonstrations in Manipur is named as Nupi Lan. They led demonstrations against the British colonial authorities. It was one of the earliest uprisings in India to be led entirely by women. The first Nupi Lan took place in 1904, and the second in 1939.

First Nupi Lan (1904)

The first Nupi Lan was a protest against the reintroduction of the Lallup system, which required men to work for free for 10 days every month. The protest was sparked by the burning of the bungalows of two British officials. In response, thousands of women marched to the official residence of Colonel Maxwell, who had reinstated the Lallup system. Although the British authorities initially promised to revoke the orders, they failed to do so.

Eventually, however, they were forced to retract the orders and rebuild the bungalows at their own expense. What is particularly significant is that it was the women who led the revolt to safeguard the rights of their men.

Second Nupi Lan (1939)

The second Nupi Lan was a protest against the export of rice during World War II. The movement included boycotts, strikes, and other forms of civil disobedience. The movement led to demands for administrative and constitutional reforms for Manipur.

Furthermore, the Nupi Lan movements are considered to be among the most important mass movements led by women in India

Meira Paibi’s Fight For Peace – Torch-Bearing Women

The modern successors of Nupi Lan, who patrol the streets and protest against violence, are the Meira Paibi, a women’s social movement in Manipur, India. Dedicated to peace, they have championed their cause through protests and nonviolent resistance.

The movement’s name, Meira Paibi, translates to “women with torches,” symbolizing the flaming torches they carry while marching. As a grassroots, all-women movement, they actively oppose state atrocities, particularly those committed under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Often seen patrolling neighborhoods at night, they serve as protectors of their communities, standing as a powerful and visible force advocating for peace and justice in the region.

Women During Manipur Atrocities

As it happens, women and children are often the most affected in times of conflict or war. The recent ethnic violence in May 2023 was no exception, with women and children bearing the brunt of the crisis. In fact, the violence was ignited by a brutal atrocity against two women.

A 26-second video that surfaced online showed two Kuki tribal women being paraded naked by a mob of men, who groped and assaulted them. The horrific footage sparked outrage before it was eventually removed from YouTube. Nationwide public outrage followed after the two-month old video surfaced. The disturbing video of the two women has drawn national and international attention to the Manipur conflict in a way that 79 days of violence had failed to do.

It has exposed the lack of action by authorities in controlling the ongoing crisis. As a result, the opposition has intensified its criticism of the Modi government, demanding accountability for the situation in Manipur. This has even led to the opposition filing a No Confidence motion against the government in the ongoing parliamentary session.

What Happened On May 4, 2023

The gruesome incident took place on May 4. The older of the two Kuki women, who was paraded naked, was living in a relief camp at the time. Showing tremendous courage, she recounted her trauma to various news portals, shaking the entire nation. She stated, “Everyone should know what happened to us.”

The silence and response of the National Commission for Women (NCW) shocked the country. Reports revealed that the NCW was informed about the gruesome incident even before the videos went viral, yet they chose to remain inactive and took no action. The 44-year-old survivor, a wife and a mother, is the wife of the village chief, while the 21-year-old woman was her neighbor—just starting out in life with dreams of her own. Both had managed to escape their homes before they were burned down, but they couldn’t outrun the violence.

They were caught by a Meitei mob, and what followed was unimaginable cruelty. The younger woman’s father was lynched before her eyes, and when her brother tried to protect her, he too was beaten to death. Left defenseless, the two women were then forced to strip and paraded naked, subjected to relentless groping and assault by the mob, their dignity shattered in an act of pure inhumanity.

On this IWD, their Manipuri Women’s awakening aligns with the free movement restoration ordered by Union Home Minister Amit Shah—buses roll out at 9:00 AM under Central Armed Police Forces’ watch, a fragile bid to stitch a torn state back together. At Ima Keithel, the historic all-women market that played a crucial role in the Nupi Lan rice riots, traders like Thoi Devi are beginning to see signs of economic recovery after periods of hardship. Empowerment, here, wears a practical face—livelihood over rhetoric.

What Happened In Manipur Today On March 8

The Manipur government reopened key transport routes after 22 months of ethnic violence, resuming bus services under armed escort. A convoy of buses travelling from Imphal to Senapati was halted by Kuki protesters. Violence erupted on the first day of the Manipur government’s decision to reinstate public movement across the conflict-hit state after nearly two years.Various reports suggest that officials have confirmed the resumption of bus services on Saturday along key routes, including Imphal to Senapati via Kangpokpi district and Imphal to Churachandpur via Bishnupur.

As we all celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while advocating for gender equality and women’s rights. In 2025, it marks a continuation of this tradition, spotlighting women’s contributions and the ongoing push to address disparities worldwide.

Voices Of The Hills: Kuki Women’s Cry For Justice

While some see hope, for many Kuki women, survival still overshadows progress. Displaced from their homes, mourning their losses, they don’t see recent policies as steps toward unity—they see them as yet another attempt to sideline their voices.

On X, users like @HaokipOm and @GermanKukiChanu report fresh attacks in Kangpokpi District. Though unverified, these claims revive painful memories of 2023, when two Kuki women were paraded naked, a moment that finally forced the nation to pay attention. For years, the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights has fought for justice. Their International Women’s Day gatherings aren’t celebrations—they’re reminders of how much remains unchanged. The women started who had flee to Delhi during 2023 riot, still asks ” “How do you empower us when we’re still running?.”

As the roads reopen today, for some, it’s a small sign of hope—markets stirring back to life, women lighting torches, determined to begin anew and reclaim a sense of normalcy. But for others, it’s a painful reminder of all that remains broken—a day when the world celebrates women’s rights, while gunfire and grief still linger in their own.