RECENT protests in the state of Manipur were in response to a viral video showing two women being paraded down naked while being sexually attacked by an angry mob of men.
Word of the horrendous attack took longer than two months to spread due to the devastation, in part because the internet in the area had been shut down.
Thus, when a video of two women being paraded naked and attacked in Manipur went viral in India, it startled the country, heightened tensions, and rekindled interest in a conflict that has claimed more than 130 lives and uprooted more than 35,000 people.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally spoke out about an underlying ethnic war as a result of the horrific video, which many felt brought the entire nation into disrepute.
According to CBS News, the incident occurred on May 4, and the two women, as well as the father and brother of one of them, were attempting to flee their town after it had been attacked and set on fire by an armed mob.
When they were stopped, they first killed the two guys before assaulting at least one of them sexually.
Soon after, as the men abused the minority women, they were threatened with having to take off their clothes and march alongside them.
The horrifying incident stayed unreported until last week, when the footage finally surfaced on social media and shocked more than 1.40 billion internet users.
However, the video prompted a lot of backlash and indignation on social media, with people calling it “shameful” and “shocking” and calling for the government to do something to help the victims.
The ‘Meitei’ people, who make up a large majority in Manipur, were said to make up the mob, according to the New York Times. While the victims were the ‘Kukis’ people.
The right-wing political party were worried that the Meiteis would outnumber the Kukis as non-Indian Kukis from neighbouring Myanmar frequently enter India and has resulted in years of long strife between the two ethnic groups.
For Meiteis, it seems to be a battle to the finish. They believe that if they expel the Kukis, they will be able to take over some of their property.
What do you think about everything here? Did dividing policies cause and contribute to this terrible conflict?
