Council of churches expresses concern over escalation in Manipur violence, calls for more Central forces

It said the failure to restore peace in Manipur was a ‘national tragedy’ that reflected ‘systematic breakdown of governance and the rule of law in the State’

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), the official representative body for around 14 million members of the country’s Protestant and Orthodox churches, on Tuesday (November 19, 2024) issued a statement expressing anguish and concern over the recent escalation of violence in Manipur’s ongoing ethnic conflict.

It said the failure to restore peace in Manipur was a “national tragedy” that reflected “systematic breakdown of governance and the rule of law in the State”.

This statement comes in the wake of the recent escalation in the conflict beginning this November 7 after the discovery of the remains of a Hmar woman in Jiribam who was allegedly burnt alive. Since then, at least 22 people have been killed so far, including six women and children of the Meitei community who were allegedly abducted from near the area of a relief camp manned by the police and the Central Reserve Police Force in Borobekra, and found dead a few days later.

In its statement, the NCCI called for “immediate and robust” deployment of Central forces, a transparent and inclusive peace process, quick humanitarian aid, and accountability for acts of violence.

The church body appealed to the President, Prime Minister, and the Home Minister to “intervene urgently” to end the violence and restore “harmony, trust and cooperation among the communities in Manipur”. “The time to act is now,” it said, adding, “The intervention of state authorities has often been viewed with suspicion by different communities”.

“The presence of Central forces will hopefully provide a neutral and authoritative presence that is needed to de-escalate tensions and stop the violence,” the statement said.

Since November 7, the government has sanctioned the deployment of around 7,000 personnel from various Central forces to the State, and the Home Minister has convened security review meetings as well. The Centre has also extended Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) to six police station areas in the valley region, from where the AFSPA was removed in 2022.

The church body also asked all people of faith to continue praying for the State and its people, further saying it supported government efforts in restoring peace, offering “collaborative initiatives that foster dialogue, reconciliation, and long-term harmony among all communities”.

The NCCI statement by its general secretary, Rev. Asir Ebenezer, also urged the government to take the help of faith-based organisations, NGOs and community groups for humanitarian aid.

“The continued instability is eroding the very social fabric of Manipur, and the toll on the mental and physical well-being of the people is staggering,” the NCCI said.

Since the conflict between the valley-based Meitei community and the hills-based Scheduled Tribe Kuki-Zomi-Hmar communities began on May 3, 2023, over 250 people have been killed, thousands more injured, and tens of thousands of people internally displaced.

Published - November 19, 2024 11:28 pm IST