The 21st anniversary of Anti-Repression Day was observed today at Lamyanba Shanglen, Palace Compound, Imphal, commemorating the historic protest staged by twelve courageous Manipuri women on July 15, 2004, against the custodial rape and killing of Thangjam Manorama.
The unprecedented protest—wherein the women undressed in front of the Assam Rifles-occupied Kangla Fort holding a banner that read “Indian Army Rape Us Too”—was a powerful condemnation of military excesses under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA). The mutilated body of Manorama was found on July 11, 2004, days after she was picked up by the 17 Assam Rifles.
The twelve protestors—Thokchom Ramani, Keisham Taruni, Yumlembam Mema, Chungkham Jamini, Lourembam Nganbi, Laishram Gyaneshwori, Moirangthem Sorojini, Angom Jibanmala, Haobam Tombi, and the late Mutum Ibemhal, Soibam Momon, and Loitam Ibetombi—were remembered for their exceptional bravery and resistance.
Organised by the Observation Committee of Anti-Repression Day 2025, the event was attended by prominent rights activist RK Ranendrajit as chief guest, Khangenbam Anandi as president of the function, and cultural scholar YK Dhiren as guest of honour. Advocate Laishangbam Jadumani, advisor to the United People’s Front (UPF), Manipur, served as the main resource person.
In his speech, Advocate Jadumani sharply criticised the continued enforcement of AFSPA in Manipur, calling it a law that enables impunity and systemic violations of human rights. He argued that the Act undermines the very foundation of democratic rights and the right to life.
Jeetendra Ningomba, president of the Committee of Civil Societies Kangleipak (CCSK), placed the protest in a wider historical context, linking it to decades of rights violations since Manipur’s controversial merger with India in 1949. He underscored the need for intellectual leadership in mobilising collective resistance for justice.
Renu Takhellambam, president of the Extrajudicial Execution Victim Families Association, Manipur (EEVFAM), spoke of the founding of the organisation on July 11, 2009, amid a surge in fake encounter killings. She recounted how EEVFAM spearheaded a petition before the Supreme Court in 2012, highlighting 1,528 cases of suspected extrajudicial killings.
In her presidential address, Khangenbam Anandi reflected on a long history of violence in the state, naming the Heirangoithong, Malom, Tera, and Oinam massacres. She revisited the brutal killing of Manorama, stating that soldiers had not only raped her but also shot multiple bullets into her genitals before dumping her body.
Anandi also voiced alarm over the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur since May 3, 2023, warning that continued violence could deepen societal fractures if not addressed with urgency and justice.
The commemoration ended with a collective call to honour the spirit of resistance embodied by the July 15 protestors, to demand the repeal of AFSPA, and to strive for a future rooted in peace, justice, and dignity for all communities in Manipur.
