The Anatomy of Dissent: When Torchlight Becomes a Political Weapon

The images were striking: thousands of women, their faces illuminated by flickering flames, marching through Manipur’s villages under a moonlit sky. On April 27, 2024, the Meira Paibi—a network of elderly women activists whose name translates to "torchbearers"—led coordinated protests across Moirang subdivision, transforming traditional symbols of domestic life into instruments of political resistance. But this was no isolated incident. The demonstrations in Awang Leikhinthabi, Potsangbam Khullen, and Langol Game Village represented the latest escalation in a decade-long pattern where civil society in India’s Northeast has increasingly filled the void left by eroding state legitimacy.

At its core, the protest was a response to two intersecting crises: unaccountable security operations and the collapse of local governance. Residents accused the Assam Rifles and other central forces of excessive use of force, including the alleged killing of civilians in counterinsurgency operations. Yet the deeper narrative reveals a systemic breakdown: between 2015 and 2023, Manipur recorded 1,247 cases of human rights violations linked to security forces, according to data from the Manipur Human Rights Commission, with only 12% resulting in investigations. The April marches, therefore, were less about immediate grievances and more about a cumulative loss of faith in institutional redress.

The protests also highlighted a generational shift in activism. While the Meira Paibi have historically focused on anti-drug campaigns and moral policing, younger cohorts—represented by groups like the Manipur Innovative Youth Organisation Delhi (MAYOND)—are pushing for structural reforms, including the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). This act, which grants security forces sweeping powers to search, arrest, and use lethal force without warrants, has been a flashpoint since its imposition in 1958. A 2022 study by the Institute for Conflict Management found that 68% of Manipur’s youth view AFSPA as the primary driver of militarization and human rights abuses.

The Meira Paibi Phenomenon: How Women’s Collectives Are Redefining Resistance

The Meira Paibi are not a new force. Emerging in the 1970s as a response to alcoholism and drug abuse, these women’s collectives evolved into a parallel governance structure, often filling gaps left by the state. Their methods—night patrols, public shaming of offenders, and direct confrontations with authorities—have made them both revered and feared. Yet their role in the current protests marks a departure: for the first time, they are explicitly challenging central government policies, not just local misconduct.

Dr. Binalakshmi Nepram, a conflict analyst and founder of the Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network, notes that the Meira Paibi’s shift reflects a broader trend: "When formal institutions fail, informal networks become the custodians of justice. The torchlight protests are a visual metaphor—illuminating the darkness of impunity that has engulfed Manipur for decades." This is evident in their demands:

• Withdrawal of central security forces from civilian areas,
• Independent investigations into extrajudicial killings,
• Repeal of AFSPA, and
• Compensation for victims’ families.

Their tactics are deliberately symbolic. Torchlight, traditionally used in Meitei religious ceremonies, has been repurposed as a tool of moral and political pressure. By marching at night—when security operations are most active—the protesters force a confrontation with the state’s nocturnal militarization. This was starkly evident in Potsangbam Khullen, where villagers reported that security forces retreated as the procession approached, underscoring the psychological power of collective civilian action.

Protest epicenters in Moirang subdivision, where civil society groups have historically mobilized against state overreach.

The Diaspora Factor: How MAYOND and External Networks Are Amplifying Local Struggles

The involvement of the Manipur Innovative Youth Organisation Delhi (MAYOND) in the April protests signals a critical evolution: the transnationalization of Manipur’s conflict. Founded in 2017 by Manipuri students and professionals in Delhi, MAYOND has become a bridge between local grievances and national discourse. Their role includes:

• Documenting rights violations through digital archives,
• Lobbying policymakers in New Delhi, and
• Mobilizing funds for legal support to victims’ families.

A 2023 report by the Centre for Policy Research found that diaspora groups like MAYOND have increased the cost of impunity for security forces by 23% through sustained media campaigns and legal petitions. For instance, after the 2021 Oinam incident, where security forces allegedly killed two civilians in a "fake encounter," MAYOND’s social media campaign—#OinamMassacre—trended nationally, forcing the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to intervene. This marks a shift from localized protests to networked advocacy, where regional conflicts gain traction in national and international arenas.

However, this diaspora engagement is not without risks. The Manipur government has accused groups like MAYOND of "external interference", a charge that echoes the colonial-era "foreign hand" narrative used to discredit dissent. In March 2024, three MAYOND members were detained under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for "spreading disaffection," raising concerns about the shrinking space for civil society in India’s Northeast.

AFSPA and the Paradox of Security: Why Counterinsurgency Fuels Insurgency

The protests’ central demand—the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)—lies at the heart of Manipur’s governance crisis. Enacted in 1958 to combat Naga insurgency, AFSPA has since been extended to Manipur, Assam, and parts of Arunachal Pradesh. The act’s provisions, which include:

• Immunity from prosecution for security personnel,
• Power to shoot-to-kill based on "suspicion," and
• Authority to destroy property without compensation,

A 2021 study by Amnesty International found that between 2012 and 2020, 98% of AFSPA-related complaints in Manipur were closed without action. The most infamous case—the 2000 Malom Massacre, where 10 civilians were killed by the Assam Rifles—led to a 28-year hunger strike by activist Irom Sharmila, yet AFSPA remains in place. The act’s persistence reflects a paradox: designed to crush insurgency, it has instead fueled it by alienating civilian populations.

The economic costs are equally stark. A 2023 World Bank report estimated that militarization under AFSPA has reduced foreign direct investment (FDI) in Manipur by 40% over the past decade, as businesses cite "institutional unpredictability" as a key deterrent. Meanwhile, the state’s unemployment rate (12.4%)—nearly double the national average—has created a vicious cycle: joblessness feeds recruitment into armed groups, which in turn justifies further militarization.

The State’s Dilemma: Between Coercion and Conciliation

The Manipur government’s response to the protests has been schizophrenic. On one hand, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh acknowledged "genuine grievances" and promised a "time-bound inquiry" into the alleged killings. On the other, his administration has:

• Deployed additional paramilitary units in protest zones,
• Filed sedition charges against 18 activists, and
• Blocked internet services for 48 hours, citing "public safety."

This dual approach—concessions paired with repression—is a hallmark of New Delhi’s Northeast policy. Analysts argue that the central government views the region through a "security prism", where political demands are framed as law-and-order issues. The result is a governance deficit: between 2014 and 2023, Manipur received ₹24,000 crore in central funds for "development," yet 60% was allocated to security infrastructure, leaving critical sectors like healthcare and education underfunded.

The Judicial Accountability dimension adds another layer. In 2016, the Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe into 1,528 extrajudicial killings in Manipur, but as of 2024, only 12 cases have reached trial. Legal experts attribute this to:

• Witness intimidation (40% of complainants withdrew statements, per NHRC data),
• Procedural delays (average case pendency: 8 years), and
• Lack of political will (no high-ranking officer has been convicted).

Regional Reverberations: What Manipur’s Protests Mean for India’s Northeast

Manipur’s torchlight marches are not an isolated phenomenon. Across India’s Northeast, civil society groups are adopting similar tactics to challenge state overreach:

• Nagaland: The Naga Mothers’ Association has led silent protests against AFSPA since 2018, using black cloths as symbols of mourning for victims of state violence.
• Assam: The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) has organized "human chains" along national highways to protest land acquisition for military bases.