Voice from America through Florence: Diaspora stood a rock pillar for Manipur plight

Mobilenews24x7 Bureau(Spl)

This is the tale of a woman from Manipur who now is an Indian American. But she no longer takes pride in saying that she was reared in the sacred soils of this country where the respect for a woman has come down to zero.

She is dismayed and perplexed by what happened in Manipur last May as some like her were made naked, paraded and gang raped by a group of beasts in the name of human.

An abject rejection of human scruple whose viral video has stunned the entire world splashing the mud of bestiality on the face of the nation that screams sloganeering of ‘Beti bachao’

When the Indian political dispensation maintained a shocking silence even months after the incident, in US recently formed North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA) raised the banner of protest there inviting people from all communities to stand by them.

 

A media report in US read that the NAMTA did solicit the raising of voices and it came instantly jacking the spirit of NAMTA founder Florence who is from Manipur’s Imphal.

Florence was shocked that it had happened in her mother land and was ashamed that the political dispensation in India has not been able to douse the fire of unrest even three months after, almost let alone the Manipur state government.

Florence and her family were also personally impacted by the unrest – with her parents’ home in Manipur completely burned down.

 

Another report in an Indian news platform read that, the lady Florence is the daughter of an IPS but for the perpetrators it made no difference as the house was completely burned, sending her mother to a near state of trauma and her younger sister..luck and blessing of God, just ran else she could have been one among those seen in the video of May.

It was not that easy to gather the guts asking for support, running from here to there.

 

Indian-American Diaspora stood by NAMTA like a rock pillar and then it was so heartening and they got full support from similar bodies of Muslims, Christians and other communities in America.

While Florence said that members of the NAMTA struggled to get their voices heard, one community stood by them – the Indian-American Diaspora.

“I cannot tell you how heartening it is for us, who have been directly affected, to … have people reach out to us. You know, we have not had the time, energy, mental, or physical to reach out to anyone. FIACoNA, Federation of Indian American Christians of North America, the Hindus for Human Rights organisation reached out to us. Indian American Muslim Council have also reached out to us.”

 

Manipur state govt done nothing

 

The Manipur government has not done anything, she alleged, calling it “complicit in this matter.” This is why it is important for the international community to speak up, she says.

The intent can be read from the State government’s slumber and still maintain that things are limping back to normal and there is no issue as it is made out to be.

That is why International support can only put the lid on this fuming fire inside, feels Florence while talking to a large section of media there.

So, UNHRC has a job in hand and must act now.