September, 2015: Thousands of women dressed in black gather at the Lamka Public ground in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. A movement has been slowly gathering momentum as a small town puts up a stiff resistance to three bills that were passed by the state legislature that the hill tribes of Manipur claim infringe on tribal and land ownership rights.
September, 2015: Women dressed in black head to the various pickets set up in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. The agitation brought the hills of Manipur to a standstill. The impasse continues now, more than ten months later, with economic blockades and shutdowns becoming the norm in Manipur.
September, 2015: Men watch from a distance as women agitate against the three new land bills passed by the Manipur legislature on the streets of Churachandpur, Manipur, India. After 9 young men were killed during the first two days of agitation on August 31 and September 1, 2015, by the heavy handed state police and commandoes, women groups came onto the streets to prevent further bloodshed.
September, 2015: Security personnel are blocked by women protesters. Women have spearheaded the tribal movement ever since nine young men from the town died in Police firing and violence on the first two days of the agitation.
September, 2015: Women protesters block the street next to the District Collector's office in Churachandpur. Prevented from leaving the house in an escort vehicle, the harried DC in a face-off with the protesting women was heard quoting from the Bible before storming back inside: “Read Exodus 23:2, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment.” Lunminthang Haokip's words, however, fall on deaf ears.
September, 2015: A woman protester blocks the street next to the District Collector's office in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. The hill tribes of Manipur have been demanding withdrawal of land three bills that they allege will make them foreigners in their own land and that the bills are an infringement of their political and constitutional rights.
September 2015: Dark monsoon clouds gather over the Morgue at the District Hospital in Churachandpur, Manipur, India, where the coffins of the nine dead in police firing and violence have remained for nine months. Outside, their families wait for a resolution, which appears increasingly difficult, before they are ready to bury their loved ones.
September, 2015: Corpses lie in coffins covered with aluminium foil to prevent body fluids from leaking onto the floor of an ill- equipped Morgue in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. They were among the nine who died in Police firing and violence on August 31 and September 1, 2015. As the bodies slowly decompose, outside their mothers, Fathers, sisters and brothers mourn; refusing to bury their dead, standing in solidarity with a massive series of protests in this little town.
September, 2015: A mother mourns the death of her son outside the District hospital morgue in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. The next of kin have refused to bury the dead demanding that the state withdraw the bills which resulted in the mass protests and therefore the killings.
September 2015: A leader addresses a crowd in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. The hill tribes of Manipur have been demanding withdrawal of land three bills that they allege will make them foreigners in their own land and that the bills are an infringement of their political and constitutional rights.
September, 2015: Placards after a mass protest in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. It is interesting to see how the different tribal groups — including Hmar Inpuis, Kuki Inpuis, Nagas from the hill districts, the Zomi Council and several student bodies — have put past animosities and differences on the backburner in their effort to challenge the state government and have joined the movement.
September, 2015: The Hiangtam Lamka EBCC Church towers over the town center as dark clouds gather in the night time sky over Churachandpur, Manipur, India. A Presbyterian pastor who runs a major group of educational institutions in Churachandpur, said that he wishes that the Church would play a more proactive role in solving the crisis. Religion is a major part of everyday existence in the hills of Manipur where most tribals are Christians.
September, 2015: Women enforce night curfew as the protest gathers momentum in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. Dressed in black, women of the town took to the streets of Churachandpur, at the intersection of every village, every town square and road. Armed with sticks, they occupied long wooden benches and took turns to chant slogans against the government.
December, 2015: A freshly painted Tee-Shirt says "kill-bill", during a symbolic coffin rally organised by a Tribal group, on Parliament street in Delhi, India, held to protest the passage of three new land bills by the Manipur state legislature on August 31, 2015. The passage of the bills, in the Assembly led to violence and the subsequent killing of nine protesters in Churachandpur, Manipur, India.
December, 2015: Tribal men and women from Manipur in Delhi, India, gathered on Parliament Street, in the thousands to protest three land bills that were passed by the Manipur Assembly in 2015 and the subsequent police killings of young men in Churachandpur.
December, 2015: Tribal men and women from Manipur in Delhi, India, clash with riot police on Parliament Street during a symbolic coffin rally, to protest three land bills that were passed by the Manipur Assembly in 2015 and the subsequent police killings of young men in Churachandpur.
December, 2015: Tribal men and women from Manipur in Delhi, India, pray during a gathering on Parliament Street during a symbolic coffin rally, in the thousands to protest three land bills that were passed by the Manipur Assembly in 2015 and the subsequent police killings of young men in Churachandpur.
February, 2016: Soot covers the street as tyres burned non-stop at Sielmat, a small village in Lamka, Churachandpur, Manipur, India, as hundreds of young men and women took turns to block a bridge to prevent the entry of uniformed men into the town.
February, 2016: Women-folk prayed adjacent to the Morgue at the district hospital in Churachandpur, Manipur, India, where corpses of nine people who died in police firing in August-September 2015 are kept. For nine months now, families of those who died protesting three new bills passed by the Manipur state assembly, have patiently waited for a resolution, which appears increasingly and disturbingly difficult.
February, 2016: A Church leader addressed a large gathering of townsfolk at the district hospital premises in Churachandpur, Manipur, India. For nine months now, families of those who died protesting three new bills passed by the Manipur state assembly, have patiently waited for a resolution, which appears increasingly and disturbingly difficult.
February, 2016: Pastor Benson Khuptong addressed and prayed with a large group of protesters at Sielmat, in Churachandpur, Manipur, India, diffusing a possibly violent clash amongst two ethnic groups.
February, 2016: The site of a designated camp of the Zomi Revolutionary Army(ZRA) formed in 1997 to protect the Zomi tribe and its land that they claim extends deep inside Myanmar across the international border at an undisclosed location in the Southern Hills of Manipur. The rebel group is at a ceasefire with the Indian Government but there are often reports of skirmishes with opposing factions of Valley-based insurgent groups or VBIGs.
February, 2016: Rebel Cadre of the Zomi Revolutionary Army(ZRA) during morning mass at their camp at an undisclosed location in the Southern Hills of Manipur. The rebel group is at a ceasefire with the Indian Government but there are often reports of skirmishes with opposing factions of Valley based insurgent groups or VBIGs.
February, 2016: The Holy book and the rifle go hand in hand in Manipur. Here a rebel cadre of the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA) prays during morning mass at a camp in an undisclosed location in Southern Manipur.
February, 2016: Rebel Cadre of the Zomi Revolutionary Army(ZRA) formed in 1997 to protect the Zomi tribe and its land that they claim extend deep inside Myanmar across the international border during a patrol in the jungles at an undisclosed location in the Southern Hills of Manipur. The rebel group is at a ceasefire with the Indian Government but there are often reports of skirmishes with opposing factions of Valley based insurgent groups or VBIGs.
February, 2016: Rebel Cadre of the Zomi Revolutionary Army(ZRA) formed in 1997 to protect the Zomi tribe and its land that they claim extend deep inside Myanmar across the international border during a patrol in the jungles at an undisclosed location in the Southern Hills of Manipur. The rebel group is at a ceasefire with the Indian Government but there are often reports of skirmishes with opposing factions of Valley-based insurgent groups or VBIGs.
June, 2016: Young men and women from the hills of Manipur state in India protest outside Manipur Bhawan in Delhi, against a delegation of state legislators in the city to pressure the Central leadership to give assent to three bills that the state passed in August 2015. The tribals from the hills allege that the bills if, enacted into laws would impinge on their land rights. The protest outside the gates of the Bhawan went on late into the night with the protesters facing off the police who tried to control the emotive young men and women who had turned up.
June, 2016: Young men and women from the hills of Manipur state in India protest outside Manipur Bhawan in Delhi, against a delegation of state legislators in the city to pressure the Central leadership to give assent to three bills that the state passed in August 2015. The tribals from the hills allege that the bills if, enacted into laws would impinge on their land rights. The protest outside the gates of the Bhawan went on late into the night with the protesters facing off the police who tried to control the emotive young men and women who had turned up.
June, 2016: Young men and women from the hills of Manipur state in India ride a bus en route to Manipur Bhawan in Delhi, to protest against a delegation of state legislators in the city to pressure the Central leadership to give assent to three bills that the state passed in August 2015. The tribals from the hills allege that the bills if, enacted into laws would impinge on their land rights. The protest outside the gates of the Bhawan went on late into the night with the protesters facing off the police who tried to control the emotive young men and women who had turned up.
June, 2016: Romeo Hmar (centre) of the Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi and fellow protesters raise their clenched fists in protest at the gates of Manipur Bhawan in Delhi, to protest against a delegation of state legislators in the city to pressure the Central leadership to give assent to three bills that the state passed in August 2015. The tribals from the hills allege that the bills if, enacted into laws would impinge on their land rights. The protest outside the gates of the Bhawan went on late into the night with the protesters facing off the police who tried to control the emotive young men and women who had turned up.
June. 2016: Protesters from the hills of Manipur, listen to their leaders outside Manipur Bhawan in Delhi. A delegation of MLA's and ministers along with their Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh were in the city to pressure the Central Government into giving assent to three bills that they passed under pressure from the Inner Line Permit movement back in the state's capital, Imphal. Nine young men were killed in the ensuing violence and protest on August 31 and September 1, 2015 opposing these bills in Churachandpur. Their bodies have remained in an ill-equipped morgue ever since. The tribals from the hills allege that the bills if, enacted into laws would impinge on their land rights.
June, 2016: Young protesters from the hills of Manipur, shout slogans at Manipur Bhawan in Delhi. In India's national capital. A delegation of MLA's and ministers along with their Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh were in the city for a few days to pressure the Central leadership into giving assent to three bills that they passed under pressure from the Inner Line Permit movement back in the state's capital Imphal. Nine young men were killed in the ensuing violence and protest on August 31 and September 1, 2015
June, 2016: Young protesters from the hills of Manipur protest at Manipur Bhawan in Delhi. In India's national capital. A delegation of MLA's and ministers along with their Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh were in the city for a few days to pressure the Central leadership into giving assent to three bills that they passed under pressure from the Inner Line Permit movement back in the state's capital Imphal. Nine young men were killed in the ensuing violence and protest on August 31 and September 1, 2
June, 2016: Young protesters at the gates of Manipur Bhawan in Delhi, get ready to burn effigies of their chief minister demanding to speak with Ibobi Singh(Chief Minister), who refused to come out and address the restless crowd. The tug of war between the police and the protesters finally resulted in the Police charging the gathering with Batons(Lathis) hitting numerous protesters on the head. At least 50 were injured and taken to various hospitals across the city, almost a similar number were detained, 20 of them women. There was no lady police present at the protest, even though at least 50 percent of the crowd comprised of women of all age groups.
June, 2016: Young protesters at the gates of Manipur Bhawan in Delhi, burned effigies and posters of their chief minister demanding to speak with Ibobi Singh(Chief Minister), who refused to come out and address the restless crowd. The tug of war between the police and the protesters finally resulted in the Police charging the gathering with Batons(Lathis) hitting numerous protesters on the head. At least 50 were injured and taken to various hospitals across the city, almost a similar number were detained, 20 of them women. There was no lady police present at the protest, even though at least 50 percent of the crowd comprised of women of all age groups.
June, 2016: The crowd of young protesters from the hill districts of Manipur, pushed through the heavy barricades outside Manipur Bhavan in Delhi. Eyewitnesses said, this happened just after bricks were allegedly thrown from inside the bhawan's premises, inciting the protesters. The tug of war between the police and the protesters finally resulted in the Police charging the gathering with Batons(Lathis) hitting numerous protesters on the head. At least 50 were injured and taken to various hospitals across the city, almost a similar number were detained, 20 of them women. There was no lady police present at the protest, even though at least 50 percent of the crowd comprised of women of all age groups.
June, 2016: The crowd of young protesters from the hill districts of Manipur, charge towards the police to help rescue the injured that were left behind outside Manipur Bhavan in Delhi. The protest turned violent as the tug of war between the police and the protesters finally resulted in the Police charging the gathering with Batons(Lathis) hitting numerous protesters on the head. At least 50 were injured and taken to various hospitals across the city, almost a similar number were detained, 20 of them women. There was no lady police present at the protest, even though at least 50 percent of the crowd comprised of women of all age groups.
June, 2016: An Injured protester after Police charged them and used indiscriminate force. Several were injured and many detained overnight at the Chankyapuri Police station. The protesters from the hills of Manipur, demanded to speak with their Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh who was in the city for a few days to pressure the Central leadership into giving assent to three bills that they passed under pressure from the Inner Line Permit movement back in the state's capital Imphal. Nine young men were killed in the ensuing violence and protest on August 31 and September 1, 2015
June, 2016: Protesters from the hill districts of Manipur, run away from the police outside Manipur Bhavan in Delhi. The protest turned violent as the tug of war between the police and the protesters finally resulted in the Police charging the gathering with Batons(Lathis) hitting numerous protesters on the head. At least 50 were injured and taken to various hospitals across the city, almost a similar number were detained, 20 of them women. There was no lady police present at the protest, even though at least 50 percent of the crowd comprised of women of all age groups.