Families of 14 Kuki abduction victims in Manipur who went missing nearly a month ago are still crying for help with pain and tears. The peaceful sit-in protest at Taphou Kuki village being the 4th week mothers wives, children, and other relatives are caught in a cycle of uncertainty, fear, and mental suffering. Apart from being a security issue, the situation of these civilians is a grave humanitarian lapse and a sign ofthe fact that the ordinary people are the ones constantly suffering from the ongoing conflict in Manipur which has remained unresolved. Even as politicians make statements and authorities say they will act, families keep on counting time and hoping for news that never come.
Families Left to their Own Devices by a Broken System It is truly sad to see the pictures from Taphou Kuki village. While women were doing the gestures of prayer with their eyes closed and hands together, relatives were holding peaceful demonstrations, and community members were collecting financial assistance for the affected families. Official versions usually disregard these realities. For 27 days and still going, these families are in great distress. They are not making any political demands, nor are their demands controversial. They are simply asking for the safe return of their loved ones. It was not the plan to have hostages and still, the officials have not set them free. The longer it goes on, the less many believe they are doing anything right. Nobody talks of their fate; the silence is as unbearable as the kidnapping.
The Continued Danger Faced by Kuki Civilians
Kuki people remain at risk in parts of manipur where violence and conflict are common. Over time, these communities have been left exposed, trapped between shifting power struggles and unmet security promises.
The crisis isn’t just about fourteen people gone. So it now reflects deep community pain. Families suffer lasting stress, lose money, and face broken connections. And people see their homes slipping into chaos because no one answers quickly enough.
Where is the government stepping in?
Many believe officials are ignoring the urgent need for action. Their silence leaves families feeling as if they have been left alone and rendered powerless.
Besides competence in maintaining order, governments are also judged for their willingness to protect people during emergencies. Without answers for several days, it is only going to become more and more difficult to talk about who is responsible, who is capable, and who is willing politically.
We have seen security personnel respond immediately to law-and-order situations, carry out infrastructure works, and even hold political meetings, so how come the rescuing of the abducted civilians without a single casualty has remained a mystery for almost one month?
In a way, the lack of tangible results has only escalated the anger of the immediate families and has also strengthened the opinion of the general public that the sufferings of the civilians have been accepted as a fact of life in Manipur.
The Dangerous Normalisation of Suffering
What is worst, in fact, the most dangerous part about this hostage crisis is the speed with which these sorts of occurrences might increasingly turn into a matter of everyday life.
For many inhabitants of Manipur, acts of violence, forced migrations, kidnappings, and the feeling of insecurity, have not only been forced upon them but have effectively become the only realities that they live in. Every time a new incident happens, it is talked about for a while then it is forgotten because of the next crisis.
The acceptance of suffering as normal is a great mistake. It not only lets the authorities go scot-free but also obliges the victims to endure a long period of agony with not much help. The family members who are on a demonstration on Taphou Kuki village are saying no to that acceptance. Their presence all the time is a proof that the ministers do not really know the number of the victims. They live and the families that are waiting for them at home is the community making the call for justice.
Test of Humanity
The ongoing imprisonment of 14 civilians is not merely a matter of politics. This is really a matter of us being humans. We all are humans above ethnicity, politics, or the local area. Making civilians the pawns of a conflict is absolutely unacceptable. The ongoing uncertainty about the fate of these persons is only resulting in greater pain to the already deeply divided Manipur society.
The demonstration is coming up for a month now. Yet, the families’ message is as loud and clear as ever: their beloved ones should be brought back safely. Failure to do so is, in fact, condemning the system which has tolerated the most vulnerable in society to remain unprotected every single day. The true success will not be the political speeches or the promises from the government but the safe arrival of those who are still counted as missing and the beginning of hope for the families who have been waiting for a very long time.
