Thread by @DennisHrangchal

Let our stories survive. Let them be testaments and birthing hope.

Here’s the horrifying recount of what I went through since 4th May 2023, narrowly escaping death in Imphal, living in a relief camp and leaving without a choice due to #ManipurViolence.

And how the long nights to be internally displaced began seeping ourselves into relief camps seeking refuge as our houses were vandalised and burnt in Imphal, Manipur by mobs. I took these visuals on 4th May 2023 as I enter 1st MR Camp.

It’s important to survive. And I did!
Fear exceeds hunger, and love exceeds differences inside the relief camp. We became all the same with displacement and it’s a difficult journey we are all going through with #ManipurViolence.

Only with the clothes I wear escaping death, I stayed in 1st MR camp for 4 days from 4-8 May 2023. It seems so long!

But the prayers gave me the strength to live and survive to tell my (our) story.

The escape was not an easy one. The calculation, the arrangements, and the struggle was one of the hardest decisions to fight for. Of all the fear consumes me & the way to Imphal airport was mentally far and long.

I escaped not because I’m privileged, but I’m forced to fight for my life/ our lives with all what I (we) have. Whatever it takes, & some called me (us) so privileged.

What is so privileged to be someone that a mob wanted to lynch and kill, & you are forced to flee?

To be able to tell myself “I FEEL SAFE” was not an easy route. Trauma, anxiety, loss, directionless and confused was what I need go through and even now.

I am telling my story not because I am resilient. Our stories need to live & remind us what it means to survive & what it takes for one to do that.

#ManipurViolence is burning for more than 45 days with increasing displacement but peace is not at sight.