Shocking footage of abuse of Christian women in Manipur causes outrage
A shocking video of the abuse of two Christian Kuki women in Manipur by a mob of Meitei Hindu men has caused widespread fury in India and abroad, bringing much-needed focus on the violence in Manipur.
By ACN Staff
A Kuki girl holding a protest sign addressed to Prime Minister Modi. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
On Wednesday, 19 July, a video depicting the public humiliation and sexual assault of two Christian women in Manipur caused widespread outrage throughout India. The shocking footage was condemned by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, of the ruling Hindu nationalist BJP. The footage was originally shot in May of this year but has only been widely circulated now.
In the footage, two Christian women of the Christian Kuki ethnicity were stripped of their clothes and sexually assaulted by a mob of men belonging to the Hindu Meitei tribe. This attack occurred after the women and other Kukis were forced to flee their village following an attack by the Meitei. It has been reported that two Kuki men were also murdered during the attack.
Since May of this year, Manipur has witnessed intercommunal violence, with widespread attacks against the primarily Protestant Kuki by the largely Hindu Meitei. Hundreds have been killed, thousands displaced, and numerous churches and other buildings have been torched during these attacks. Christian leaders have asserted that Hindu nationalism is a leading cause of the violence in northeast India.
Prime Minister Modi has been criticised for failing to address the situation in Manipur until now. This shocking attack also drew the attention of international media, which had, up until now, largely underreported the violence in Manipur. The attack has also caused outrage in the Meitei community, particularly among women. It has been reported that four Meitei men have been arrested over the attack.
ACN encourages all our supporters to pray for the Christians in Manipur, and that peace will reign in the region.