Lingneifel Vaiphei fell to the ground in pain when she saw her baby’s lifeless body on a stretcher in a mortuary in Chennai, India. Steven, wrapped in a traditional woollen shawl of the Kuki-Zo tribe, had passed away at only six months old. Crying and kissing her child’s face, the 20-year-old mother, alongside her husband Kennedy Vaiphei, carried their son to a burial ground 4 miles away. The family had moved to Chennai to escape violence in Manipur, only to face a nightmare they never expected. Steven had died in Lingneifel’s arms on their way to the hospital the night before, after a week-long fever.
The violence in Manipur, rooted in ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo tribes, had displaced thousands and claimed over 200 lives. Lingneifel and Kennedy, like many others, had fled their burned-down village to start anew in Chennai. Lingneifel, working long hours in a restaurant, had to return to work soon after Steven’s death, fearing job loss. Kennedy was still searching for work. Despite the challenges, a support network for displaced Kuki-Zo was slowly emerging in cities like Chennai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru, providing accommodation and job opportunities.
Haoneithang Kipgen, a member of the network, had to leave his village in Manipur after it was burned down, forcing him to migrate to Chennai. His small apartment served as a transit home for other displaced Kuki-Zo seeking work in the city. While tensions between the tribes persisted, Haoneithang emphasized the need for unity and understanding, rather than animosity. He, like many others, felt abandoned by the government and expressed reluctance to return to Manipur amidst the escalating violence.
Critics accused the ruling BJP government of neglecting the plight of Manipuris affected by the conflict, despite Prime Minister Modi’s claims of intervention and relief efforts. The ongoing violence, including recent bombings and electoral violence, continued to disrupt peace in the region. As the conflict persisted, many, like Lingneifel and Kennedy, found themselves torn between their past in Manipur and their uncertain future in a new city, grappling with loss, displacement, and the harsh realities of survival.