Dispatches from Manipur

In season two of Dispatches from Manipur, independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar will follow up on many issues that the podcast touched upon during our reportage in season one. We are at a stage where more than six months have gone by and there seems to be no respite for those affected by this war. We will be interviewing individuals who are affected by this violence to understand why is it that t...

In Episode 16 of "Dispatches from Manipur", Greeshma Kuthar reports on the ongoing ethnic turmoil gripping Manipur since May. She discusses the volatile situation with Meitei journalist Rōmal Lāisram, who takes us through the root causes of this violence. Rōmal's insights into the ethnic landscape of Manipur offer a unique perspective that challenges conventional narratives. Tragedy again struck o...

In this episode of Dispatches from Manipur, Greeshma Kuthar speaks to Kimneijou, Kimneineng and Kimmoui (women leaders from the Kuki-Zo community) about the various incidents of gendered violence that happened after the onset of the ethnic violence on May 3, that are now being revisited internationally. The women leaders discuss ethical reportage of sexual assault in the context of ethnic violence...

In this episode, independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar delves into the ongoing turmoil in Manipur, with a focus on the Phaileng buffer zone, a critical border between the Kangpokpi hill district and Imphal Valley. The region continues to witness frequent firing as armed Meitei groups attempt to breach the border, leading to confrontations with central forces. Additionally, we shed light on the di...

In July in a span of 10 days, two women were tragically shot and killed in the capital city of Imphal in Manipur. Hangzo Donggaihching was a member of the Kuki-Zo community and lived alone in a small makeshift hut in the Lamphel area of Imphal. She was shot dead in broad daylight on July 6th in Kwakeithel, Imphal West. Hangzo Donggaihching had an intellectual disability and had no surviving family...

In episode 12 of Dispatches from Manipur, Greeshma gives a round up of the situation on the ground. As Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit of the State commenced, violent attacks continued in parts of Manipur. Greeshma spoke to an independent journalist Akash Hassan on what he saw & experienced reporting from Manipur & why the attempts to bring back normalcy are not panning out. See sun...

Since May 3, the conflict in Manipur has close to 70,000 displaced & over 120 dead. In episode 11 of Dispatches from Manipur, two students spoke to independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar, on their disrupted academic future and challenges they are currently facing.  She spoke to Kim Neilhang, a final year LLM student from the Department of Law, Manipur University & Elizabeth Nengneilhing MB...

In episode 10, Greeshma explores the aftermath of ethnic violence in Saikul's Khamenlok area. Families from 10 Kuki villages faced chaos and heavy rains, fleeing into the forest as mobs approached. In this episode, you will hear to Kimneo, a single mother, and her daughter Lhingneihal's harrowing journey of survival and separation.  The episode highlights the lasting impact of conflict on women an...

In Episode 9, independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar reports from Phaileng, a village located at the border of Kangpokpi and Imphal West. This area has witnessed multiple armed attacks, which have been pushed back by the Assam Rifles. They've now created a buffer zone here to keep violence at bay.  Greeshma speaks with Haominthang, the chief of Phaileng, Moi, a leader from Motbung and official sou...

In Episode 8, independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar examines the recent escalated violence in Khamenlok of Saikul area, the status of the internally displaced, and how the relief camps are managing the influx in Saikul. Even with the reports of more villages burning, there is a wide expectation among the affected tribes on the Union Home Minister Amit Shah's promise for intervention from the Cent...

In Episode 7, independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar gets the first-hand account of a young woman who escaped Khopibung village in Saikul sub-division of Kangpokpi district on June 12 and what she witnessed on June 13. The ethnic violence in Manipur, which began on May 3, has reportedly forced nearly 40,000 people to displace internally. This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and d...

In Episode 6, independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar reports from the ground about the burning of Khopibung, a Kuki village in the Saikul sub-division of Kangpokpi district on June 12. Since May 3, nearly 70 villages have been burnt down in Saikul assembly constituency. Khopibung was burnt down by a large Meitei mob leaving many, including officers from the Gorkha Regiment injured. This episode co...

Episode 5 chronicles a survivor's tale of unimagined horror and a timely escape in the early days of the ethnic violence that has persisted in Manipur since the first week of May. This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and assault. Listener discretion is highly recommended! Independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar speaks with a young woman, an Imphal resident, who was allegedly kidna...

In Episode 4, independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar critically examines the role of media — the fourth pillar of democracy — to report the realities of the Manipur ethnic violence, which began on the first week of May.  Greeshma spoke with Kaybie Chongloi, the only Kuki journalist from the Hill District of Kangpokpi, and with a woman survivor to understand if the mainstream media played an uninte...

In episode 3 of 'Dispatches from Manipur', independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar takes a first-hand look at the state of relief camps for hill tribes — how the civil society manages the relief, the lack of support from State and Central governments, and the experiences of those internally displaced. We want to issue a trigger warning as this episode contains distressing and harrowing experiences....

In this episode of Dispatches from Manipur, independent journalist Greeshma Kuthar bears witness to the escalating distrust & fear between communities forcing residents of Kangpokpi District to guard the NH2 (Imphal-Dimapur) highway. With the help of first-person accounts, she captures the angst of the people affected by the violence & why they are choosing to continue to guard the highway...

In this first episode, Independent journalist Greeshma brings a first-hand account of a teacher and headmistress of the only school in her village in Manipur. She recounts how she rescued herself as well as her students and residents from her village in the first week of May 2023. We will be keeping her identity anonymous and have changed her voice to protect her from any repercussions. See sunoin...