The Kohima Baptist Pastors’ Fellowship (KBPF) organised a Candlelight Vigil and Prayer program for Manipur at NBCC Convention Centre, Kohima on Sunday with the purpose to pray for Manipur that peace may prevail and that God may grant wisdom to the leaders of Manipur to come to an amicable settlement particularly Meiteis and Kukis; to raise concerns, empathize with and to extend humanitarian help and relief to those facing this crisis; to express resentment against the burning of Christian Churches and institutions on the pretext of ethnic conflict; and, to express solidarity with the persecuted Christians in Manipur.

In his address, Nagaland Baptist Churches Council (NBCC) General Secretary Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho lamented that neither the Centre nor the Manipur government seem serious to heal the wounds of the state that has been bleeding for 54 days and counting.

“As we gather here in prayer, we are not here to find out faults, to blame and accuse people to ascertain who did it. We are here to show our solidarity, to stand up in prayer for our suffering brothers and sisters regardless of the community to which they belong to,” Rev Keyho asserted.

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Expressing condolences and sympathy to the grieving families, he said, “Our heart cries in anguish for those children whose parents did not return home, to those parents who did not see their children return home on that fretful evening.” He also remembered the people who had to leave “the comfort of their homeland” in fear and are now living in relief and shelter camps in hill areas and the valley and in different regions.

“We stand with you in prayer. Our heart goes out to the suffering people whose lives continue to be uncertain at this stage,” the NBCC gen secy said.

He added that the conflict has been going for too long. Every day, we wake up with fresh news of clashes and end our day with the hope that somehow the act of violence will come to an end and peace will be restored, he said.

Sharing his concerns over the collapse of law and order in the neighbouring state, Rev Keyho stated that targeting a particular religion should not be made the face of the conflict as there is a bigger, more complex issue which the people and the authority must address. He also said that the root cause of the conflict must be openly addressed with sincerity to find out a solution before it is too late.

He stressed that the state government must act precisely and with precision to cease communal violence and that equal protection should be accorded to all communities in the state. “The government machinery is to protect the weak, the marginalized and it must be dispensed judiciously for the benefit of everyone and to establish law and order impartially and give protection to the weak and the minority groups in the state,” he asserted.

He also urged the Central Government to act and build confidence in the minds of the common people and the minority groups whose lives and existence are threatened with this conflict. Rev Keyho said that the “loud talk on the roof top and the silence in the kitchen can be misconstrued” and therefore urged Centre to intervene and start building peace and confidence within.

“Consultations are being held too often without action and this delay tactics is causing precious life every day,” he said.

The NBCC gen secy further appealed to the Kuki and Meitei communities to establish brotherhood through mutual respect and love for each other, to negotiate and reason to find solution as they will continue to live as brothers and sisters, stake holders of the state and neighbours and not as aliens.

“Shun violence and stop spreading hatred and propaganda. Violence will beget violence; hatred will beget hatred and the cycle will continue unless we put this to a dead end,” he stressed.

Earlier, Kohima Baptist Pastors’ Fellowship (KBPF) President, Rev. Vezopa Rhakho highlighted the situation of Manipur stating that the conflict started on the afternoon of 3 May 2023, 54 days ago, after the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) organized a Tribal Solidarity Rally in all the Hill Districts of Manipur in demonstration against the High Court’s order directing the State Government for inclusion of Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of India.

As a result of the clashes, hundreds of precious lives have been lost, uncountable worth of properties destroyed including no less than 400 churches burnt to ashes or vandalized and more than 50,000 people have been displaced, about 40,000 put up in 234 temporary relief camps and still unnumbered group of people are hiding in the forest, he informed.

Rev Rhakho said that He said the KBPF as a Christian body denounces any form of violence, and appeal to all the tribal leaders of Manipur and Church organizations to initiate peace between the Meitei and Kukis at the earliest.

He also informed that any individual or churches who wish to give anything to this cause are requested to contact Pastor Khekavi Yeptho, Treasurer KBPF, or the other KBPF office bearers through their respective pastors.