Church bodies volunteer to broker peace in Manipur

Newmai News Network
Imphal | May 18

Two major church bodies from the Northeast have volunteered to broker peace between the Naga and Kuki communities in Manipur, even as the State Government assured ex-gratia to families of three slain church leaders.

A ten-member delegation representing the Council for Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI) and the Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC) met Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand in Imphal on May 18 to discuss the “tense situation between the two tribal communities,” according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

Deputy Chief Minister L Dikho was also present during the meeting.

“The church leaders have volunteered to broker peace between the two communities,” the CMO said, adding that the CM “feels touched” by their initiative and the offer to help restore peace. The State Government lauded the role of the church leaders and encouraged them to engage with both sides.

The church leaders will split into two teams to work for peace. One team will travel to the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district, while the other will visit the Naga-dominated Senapati district, the CMO informed.

The Church leaders felt that hostages held by both communities need to be released urgently on humanitarian grounds, the statement added.

The team heading to Kangpokpi will meet the families of three Church leaders who were killed on May 13 at ‘Zero Point’ between Kotlen and Kotzim in Kangpokpi district. The State Government has assured that ex-gratia will be provided to the three families. The team will then hold talks with Kuki church leaders in the district.

The second team, visiting Senapati, will meet Naga Church leaders and members of Naga civil society organisations to discuss the prevailing tension and hostage crisis, the CMO said.

The CM lauded the ongoing efforts by church leaders to defuse the crisis arising from the hostage situation following the May 13 killings.