Women hold a rope with phaneks hanging on it to block a road at Khurai in Imphal East. Picture by Eastern Projections

Imphal, Aug. 13: Phanek, the traditional women’s wear of Manipuri women, has become the new flag of protest in a state where mass movements thrive on the extensive use of symbolism.

As the state once again reels under a series of agitation over the alleged extra-judicial killing of a former militant in Imphal on July 23, women are brandishing their phaneks as a symbol of protest.

Hung on ropes strung across streets and lanes, the phaneks are turning into effective roadblocks against advancing security personnel deployed to disperse the large groups of protesters.

The phanek is the traditional wraparound skirt worn by women in Manipur, both Meiteis and tribals.

For the women protesters, the display of the phanek is comparable to the naked protest by a dozen women at the gate of Kangla Fort in 2004 to protest the rape and murder of a 37-year-old woman, Th. Manorama, by Assam Rifles.

“In comparison to the 2004 Kangla protest, the display of phanek is nothing. But by hanging the phanek in public we are symbolically stripping in protest against government injustice,” said Dhanapati Devi, a meira paibi (woman activist) leader of Imphal West.

“These clothes save our honour. But we are bringing them out to express our outrage at the endless fake encounter killings,” Th. Anita, convenor of the Khurai joint action committee formed against the killing of Ch. Sanjit, said.

Sanjit was a former militant who was allegedly killed by police in a fake encounter. A pregnant woman was also killed during the “encounter”.

According to Meitei tradition, men also do not pass under a rope or a bamboo bar on which a phanek is hung. If a woman flings a phanek at a man in public, it is considered to be the most extreme form of humiliation for him.

“So by displaying phaneks, protesters want to send back anyone trying to clear a road block,” said Maipak Devi, another meira paibi leader of Imphal West.

The tactic has been effective to some extent. There were instances when police teams have returned on seeing phaneks hung across the road though a few security personnel did pull down the garments using long sticks.