GUWAHATI: As the Manipur “hostage” crisis involving the Kuki and Naga communities continued, church leaders stepped forward to help broker peace. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh praised their efforts to ease tensions between the two tribal groups.
The tensions escalated after the killings of three tribal church leaders in Kangpokpi district. Following the violence, people from both communities were held captive by each other. Later, Nagas released 14 Kuki civilians, while Kukis also freed 14 Naga individuals.
However, Kuki organisations claimed that 14 more Kuki people were still missing. Naga groups said six of their people, including two pastors, could not be traced.
Meanwhile, hundreds of trucks remained stranded for the fifth straight day because of a “total shutdown” enforced by the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) in Kuki areas and an “economic blockade” imposed by the United Naga Council in Naga regions.
KIM announced the shutdown to protest the killings of the church leaders and the government’s failure to rescue the missing Kukis. The UNC imposed the blockade over the government’s inability to rescue six Naga civilians.
Truck drivers stranded mainly in Imphal Valley and the Senapati district appealed for safe passage. “We have been stuck for the past five days and facing an acute shortage of food and drinking water,” one driver said.
“Some people helped us with rice and dal, but that was not enough,” he added. Another driver urged the government to provide security escorts. “We have ferried goods across the Northeast, yet have suffered like this. Bandhs in Manipur are unpredictable and sudden,” he expressed.
Meanwhile, a 10-member delegation of church leaders from the Council for Baptist Churches in North East India and the Manipur Baptist Convention met Singh on Monday to discuss the worsening situation.
According to an official statement, the leaders volunteered to mediate between the two sides and work toward restoring peace. Singh said he was deeply touched by the church leaders’ visit and their willingness to help during the crisis.
The church leaders decided to form two peace mission teams. One team will travel to the Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district, while the other will visit the Naga-majority Senapati district.
“The church leaders strongly feel that hostages on both sides need to be released on humanitarian grounds urgently,” the statement said.
Church leaders offer to broker peace
A ten-member delegation of church leaders from the Council for Baptist Churches in North East India and the Manipur Baptist Convention met Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Monday to discuss the worsening situation. According to an official statement, the leaders volunteered to mediate between the two sides and work toward restoring peace.
