Meitei and Kuki students in Delhi unite, seek deferment of house rent, essential rations

 Their parents, many of whom have lost their homes, are unable to send money because of the Internet curbs in Manipur

So far, 300 students have registered themselves on the Committee’s online form, and the details have been shared with officials in Manipur.

Pheroze L. Vincent, TT, New Delhi, 13.05.23 : Meitei and Kuki students in Delhi, many of whom have suffered personal loss from the Manipur violence, are trying to overcome their differences to collaborate and seek help for themselves as remittances from home have largely stopped since the riots.

Their parents, many of whom have lost their homes, are unable to send money because of the Internet curbs in Manipur.

Also, many youths from Manipur have fled to Delhi over the past week and put up with the students here, adding to their financial burden at a time most of them have exhausted the allowances they received in April.

Donald, an Ambedkar University student and adviser to the Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD), told this newspaper that a North-East Students Committee for Manipur Crisis, Delhi, had been formed earlier this week.

Steered by the Naga Students' Union, Delhi, the Committee — supported by student groups from five northeastern states — is lobbying with landlords to defer rent collection from Manipur students, and with the Manipur government for essential rations to be provided here.

The initiative comes at a time tensions have been running high following an assault last week on Kuki students here by suspected Meitei students.

Donald, the convener is from MSAD—which has a larger proportion of Meiteis. The co-convener Liangkiudinbou Marenmai is the president of the Zeliangrong Students' Union Delhi—that represented students from three Naga tribes from the trijunction of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. Co-convener Liangkiudinbou Marenmai is president of the Zeliangrong Students’ Union Delhi, which represents students from three Naga tribes based at the tri-junction of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam.

“We have an identity other than that of our ethnicity — that of being students…. We are reaching out to ministers, MPs, state agencies, NGOs, anyone who can help,” Donald said.

“The riots began at the start of the month, before we could receive money from home. Now we are all broke, and we have to unite to help each other.”

So far, 300 students have registered themselves on the Committee’s online form, and the details have been shared with officials in Manipur, Donald said.

Estimates of the number of students here from Manipur vary between 5,000 and 10,000. After a meeting with the Committee, the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti of Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party has issued a helpline number for Manipur’s students in distress.

So far, the Committee has not received any complaints of the forcible eviction of students from paying guest accommodations around Delhi University’s campuses for failure to pay rent. The Sangharsh Samiti has apparently put in a word with the residents’ welfare associations.

A demonstration, mainly by Kuki students, was held at the Delhi School of Economics on Friday against last week’s assault, for which no arrests have been made.

Hatneihoi Haokip, a Kuki student of psychology at Ambedkar University, said three psychology students and a psychiatrist had formed a group called “Rise Together” to help students afflicted with mental trauma.

“Doctors are coming forward to help us and we plan to reach out to students online to address the long-term impact of this violence,” Haokip said.

“Those here are stressed about the plight of their families back home. Many have lost their homes, and loved ones. Also, many do not feel safe even in the university space because of the tensions here between students from different communities. Those who have evacuated to Delhi have witnessed the violence.”

Several Kuki students and civil service aspirants who were at the meeting asked not to be named.

“There is an unwritten understanding now that Meitei and Kuki students don’t speak to each other in class, even if we were friends earlier,” a woman civil service aspirant said.

“After last week’s clash here, I have stopped going to my coaching classes. I find myself looking over my shoulder when I go out.”

However, she acknowledged the Committee’s efforts and described Donald as a friend.

Kishan Yumnam of the North-East Forum for International Solidarity, a Meitei student of political science, spoke at the demonstration demanding justice for those harmed during the riots as well as the clash here.

He later told this newspaper: “I feel our friendship with our (Kuki) classmates is weakening. However, for our candlelight vigil for the victims of the riots, we went door to door on the North Campus and handed out fliers. We were able to get students from all communities.”

Lhingkhonei Mate, senior resident doctor at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here, is hosting a cousin — a nursing student from the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal.

“She did not speak for two days after coming here. In bits and parts, I could gather from her that her warden had fled the hostel when the mob came and she hid with others in a room,” Mate, a Kuki, said.

“Despite several calls, security forces took more than four hours to arrive…. There are many like her, having panic attacks and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Women and children from Mate's village in Churachandpur are still hiding out in the forests for fear of attacks, although the frenzy has abated, she said.

“Flight tickets have been as high as Rs 25,000 from Imphal to Delhi, and most of us have spent our savings on the evacuation,” Mate added.

“Currently, our community and Christian groups are helping us. We can manage our finances for a month at most. Delhi should feel safe for all communities and we should uphold humanity here at least.”