Imphal- The death of a young Kuki-Zo woman, Maya (name changed) has ignited a firestorm of condemnation from the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR), exposing the festering wounds of the 2023 Manipur ethnic clashes and the glaring voids in India's justice system.

Maya, a survivor of unimaginable sexual violence amid the brutal inter-community violence that tore through Manipur, was abducted on May 15, 2023, in Imphal by a group of armed men who subjected her to a savage assault, including repeated gangrape, before callously leaving her for dead.

What should have been the beginning of a path to healing instead spiraled into over two years of unrelenting agony, marked by excruciating physical pain from her injuries, profound psychological trauma that shadowed her every moment, countless invasive medical procedures to mend her broken body, and a pervasive fear that no sanctuary could fully dispel.

On January 10, Maya finally succumbed to the prolonged illness that stemmed directly from the trauma and wounds inflicted during that horrific ordeal, her life extinguished not by a single act of violence but by the slow erosion of hope in a system that abandoned her at every turn.

In a voice laced with grief and resolve, KWOHR holds the Government of India, the Manipur state machinery, and all relevant investigative authorities squarely accountable for their collective abdication of duty. The rights group leveled sharp criticism at the authorities for their inaction, pointing to a cascade of shortcomings: from sluggish probes and prosecutorial delays to the absence of survivor-focused care, including mental health services and secure rehabilitation. In the shadow of the ethnic clashes that pitted Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities against each other, such lapses have amplified the suffering of countless women caught in the crossfire, turning personal tragedies into collective indictments of systemic bias.

KWOHR's statement pulled no punches in denouncing the heinous sexual violence inflicted on Maya, the unchecked power wielded by perpetrators, and the broader erosion of accountability in Manipur's conflict zones. It highlighted how these failures have not only denied victims like Maya their dignity and right to a full life, but also perpetuated a cycle of marginalization for Kuki-Zo families displaced and terrorized since the unrest erupted.

In a forceful call to action, the organization demanded swift arrests and a fast-tracked, transparent CBI probe into Maya's case, alongside formal recognition of conflict-era sexual assaults against Kuki-Zo women as crimes against humanity. It also urged comprehensive compensation, sustained psychological support, and independent judicial oversight for all related cases to prevent future miscarriages of justice. KWOHR extended an urgent plea to national and global human rights watchdogs, women's advocacy networks, civil society, and United Nations bodies to amplify these voices and dismantle the silence that shields abusers.