Mothers and Motherhood
Mothers and Motherhood
10 May 2015 08:05 PM, IST
http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/mothers-and-motherhood
Meira Paibi rally against illegal drugs at Tiddim Road on the night of March 1 2013 (Photo credit - Deepak Oinam)
When everything failed, a writ petition filed by the widowed mothers of Manipur organized as Extra-judicial Execution Victim Families’ Association, Manipur, sought constitution of a special investigation team to probe 1,528 alleged fake encounter killings in the state before the Supreme Court. Though the final judgment in the case in pending, the directives issued by the Supreme Court in the course of litigation is ‘positive.
Widowhood or more appropriately widowed motherhood provided a strong platform creating social space for women to raise their voices for justice. In 2008, the state of Manipur witnessed a spree of extrajudicial executions allegedly committed by the armed police commandos and central armed forces taking advantage of draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958, which grants virtual immunity for arbitrary killings. Most of the victims of such killings were men of the age group of 25-40 years, leaving their spouses widowed. The victims’ young widows, some of them are young mothers, mobilized themselves searching for solaceand created loose networks and expressed solidarity by sharing their grief in informal meetings and gatherings. These helped them to overcome their victim mode, become human rights defenders and pledge to a long struggle for justice. Their determination found a formal shape as they formed the Extrajudicial Execution Victims Families Association, Manipur (EEVFAM) on 11 July 2009 at Imphal. The group received unconditional support by civil society members and media.
Women’s movements often used motherhood as a symbol, shield or weapon to create space in the society. Motherhood has in fact proved instrumental and is phenomenal in struggle for justice worldwide. Argentina’s Association Madres de Plaza de Mayo (Association of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo) is a classic example. This association of mothers of the disappeared peacefully demanded information about their missing ones seeking state accountability. Similar movements are also visible in Brazil, Chile and also in Sri Lanka.
In India too, the practice is quite visible specially in north east India. Meira Paibis, (‘torch bearers’) is a popular women’s group in the Indian state of Manipur, active for over a century to address issues affecting women. The changing socio-political landscape in Manipur with the advent of British administration in the late 19th century and its end in 1947 had a profound influence on the subsequent course of women’s networks like the Meira Paibis, which is based on solidarity. The historic Nupi Lal (women’s agitations) of 1904 and 1939, the running of the Ima Keithal (mothers’/women’s market), the organization of Nupi Marup (women’s revolving credit group) are but a few examples. It was this solidarity among women that led to the withdrawal of the use of forced labour in 1904. The Nupi Lal that started in 1939 was against the Manipur Maharaja’s oppressive economic and administrative policies under the supervision of the political agent Mr. Gimson (1933-45), which evolved later into a movement for constitutional and administrative reform in the Kingdom.
The Meira Paibis became very active in 1970s. The group was initially called the Nishabandi due to their activities against alcoholism. In the last two decades, they are mostly seen as active against atrocities by the armed forces and the armed opposition groups. They received worldwide attention for their bold protest against the sexual violence and custodial death of a woman named Manorama in 2004. ‘We are all mothers of Manorama’, declared one of the protesters.
Another glorious example of a women’s movement in North East India that used motherhood as a platform, is the Naga Mothers Association (NMA). Formed on 14 February 1984 as a voluntary organization, the mothers committed to fight social evil like drug abuse, which they do even today. In the 1970s and 1980s, they initiated resistance against alcoholism and drug addiction. However, challenges emerged as counter insurgency operations intensified in the state, resulting in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and violence against women. Neidonou Angami, is one of the women who founded NMA. In 2005, she was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize under the project 1000 PeaceWomen.
NMA adopted various strategies as mothers. They offered themselves as negotiators and engaged in dialogue with soldiers deployed by the state or those enrolled as the ‘nationalist’ non-state armed groups, appealing to both parties for the total cessation of bloodshed. Their campaign created space to share the grief and trauma of those mothers whose children were victims under the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and its abuse in Nagaland. NMA also supported mothers and family members of the disappeared and started a campaign to honour the dead. They would arrange for the funeral of the unidentified deceased by covering them with traditional shawls, preparing coffins and burial grounds.
NMA joined hands with other Naga organizations like Naga Hoho, Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and Naga Students Federation (NSF). The peace campaign, ‘Shed No More Blood’ was intensified in the 1990s to engage in dialogue with all parties to the conflict to cease bloodshed. Mothers took journeys to the hill terrains in Burma and other difficult places to reach the rebel leaders as well as army officials for support. This trust-building process continues even in the midst of occasionally resurgent violence and constant suspicion. The NMA has provided a common platform for different parties and factions to meet and conduct dialogue with one another. For their contribution to the society, NMA received Times of India’s Social Impact award in 2013. Currently the members of NMA are advocating for women’s political participation in Nagaland where no woman made it to the state legislature till date.
Similarly, in Assam, Matri Manch and Mahila Samities played a seminal role in political mobilization in both the pre and post Indian independence period. They addressed violence against women, killings and sexual violence by armed forces. Journalist Teresa Rehman writes that, “the first Mahila Samiti was established in Dibrugarh in 1915. These groups were formed as local associations in Assam’s urban centres and particularly picked up momentum during the 1920s.” To ease the life of women and to secure leisure time for them, the Samities passed a resolution back in 1948 to set family mealtimes: lunch was decided to be at 12 noon and dinner at 10pm.
Despite the shield of motherhood and its glorified narratives, mothers in this region this region still face discrimination in family and in the community. Customary laws often deny inheritance rights, guardianship over children, conjugal rights and compel them to compromise with domestic violence. Mothers are constantly challenged to overcome stereotypes, in silence. This cycle of oppression continues everyday, including much celebrated Mother’s day.
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The writer is a human rights activist and journalist based in Guwahati.
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