Meira Paibi
[1] According to The Times of India, Meira Paibi is the "largest grassroots, civilian movement fighting state atrocities and human rights violations in Manipur".
One of the movement's leaders, A. K. Janaki Leima, says that "We've been fighting against drug abuse, crimes against women, and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
The first one dates to 1904 when women of the Imphal valley protested against the Assistant Superintendent of British authority in Manipur because of his directive to collect teak wood from Kabas to build his house.
[4] The women held night marches in the streets of Imphal and elsewhere in Manipur carrying lanterns, chastising the intoxicated, and setting fire to liquor shops.
[3][7] The Nisha Bandis carried podons (large-wicked kerosene lamps)[8] and laltain (Hindi, lantern) but after switching to flaming torches, they became known as Meira Paibi.
Its women activists carry flaming torches and march through city streets, frequently at night doing a patrol duty, and as a way of protest for seeking redress against human rights violations committed by paramilitary and armed forces units against the innocent.
[9] The Quint alleged that Meira Paibis played an active role in instigating Meitei mobs to commit atrocities against Zo people, during the violence in Manipur.
[12][13] On 24 June 2023, more than 1,200 Meira Paibi activists blocked an Indian Army convoy in Itham village of Manipur's Imphal East district, which was carrying 12 cadres of Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup, a banned militant group, in order to force their release.
[20][21][22] On 19 June 2023, hundreds of Meira Paibis protested at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi because "they felt that the Indian government has remained deaf and mute to the crisis in Manipur".
[23][24] On 7 August 2023, thousands of Meira Paibis staged protests against Assam Rifles in five districts alleging that "the para military force had unleashed atrocities on the Meitei people and demanded their withdrawal from the state.
"[25] On 9 August 2023, the Meira Paibis submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India via Manipur Governor, Anusuiya Uikey, highlighting "alleged atrocities and unwarranted excessive brutalities committed against them".
[28][29] On 12 September 2023, in a press conference in New Delhi, the Meira Paibis said that they didn't recognise the legitimacy of buffer zones set up by the Central and State governments in Manipur.
[33][34] On 19 September 2023, the Meira Paibis staged protests and called for a 48-hour bandh demanding the release of five people who were arrested three days before for carrying firearms and sporting camouflage uniforms.
[35][36] On 1 October 2023, Meira Paibis of Thoubal and Kakching districts staged protests condemning the killing of two Meitei students whose photographs surfaced on social media on 25 September.
[42] On 2 October 2023, Meira Paibi leader, Ema Longjam Memchoubi, passed away at Shija Hospital at Langol due to multiple organs failure.
