Meitei Christian Churches Council Denies Religious Motive In Manipur Violence, Blames Conflict On Illegal Immigrants

According to the Meitei Christian Churches Council, the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur is not a case of a dominant community attacking the Christian minority.

They insist that the conflict is actually between native Manipuris and illegal immigrants. This clarification aims to counter the argument that violence is being orchestrated against Christians in the state.

Meitei Christian leaders recently gathered at the Constitution Club of India (CCI) in New Delhi, to hold a demonstration.

The purpose of this demonstration was to challenge the narrative being presented to the world, which suggests that the violence in Manipur is targeted specifically at Christians.

The leaders wanted to emphasise that the conflict is rooted in the tension between Manipuris and illegal immigrants.

The widespread unrest in Manipur has raised many questions. It is important to understand the underlying factors that have contributed to this situation.

Rohan Philem, a leader among the Meitei Christian community, expressed that their community has been attacked from both sides. Despite this, they are willing to forgive both parties involved.

However, they are urging the government to intervene immediately and address the problem of illegal immigration, which they believe is the root cause of the conflict.

Philem mentioned that he had also received invitations from Christian bodies in Kerala and Tamil Nadu to discuss the situation in Manipur. They believe that he can provide a balanced perspective.

Originally planned as a protest at Jantar Mantar, the demonstration included speeches from Meitei and Naga leaders from Manipur's civil society organisations.

However, the police unexpectedly prevented the protest from taking place at Jantar Mantar, so it was relocated to the CCI.

Philem addressed the gathered crowd, expressing the desire of the Meitei Christians to play a role in facilitating dialogue amidst the conflict.

He emphasised that this was the only way forward and called for identifying the community that is unwilling to engage in peaceful discussions.

Among the demonstrators was Amrish Singh Pahwa, a 73-year-old Manipuri Sikh, who called for peace in the state where he has lived his entire life. He urged the administration to find immediate solutions to disarm individuals involved in the conflict.

In addition to Philem, Professor Ramananda Singh, a faculty member at Delhi University, stressed the importance of unity among the Meitei people of the state. Philem reassured the audience that despite their different religious beliefs, they were all still Meitei.

Ashang Kasar, the convener of the Forum for Restoration of Peace in Manipur and a member of the Naga tribe, expressed that the conflict in Manipur can be seen as a divide between indigenous and non-indigenous people.

According to Kasar, the only indigenous communities in Manipur are the Nagas and the Meiteis. Kasar believes that if there is a threat to indigenous people from non-indigenous people, it is crucial for the indigenous people to unite.

Speaking on behalf of the Forum for Restoration of Peace in Manipur, Kasar called upon the Kuki community to refrain from resorting to violence and instead pursue their demands through peaceful dialogue.

He also urged the Meitei community, as fellow indigenous people, to be open to initiating a peace dialogue.

During the 'Save Manipur — A Peace Protest' demonstration, all participants unanimously agreed that the presence of central forces was ineffective in curbing the violence.

They strongly condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the situation and opposed any compromises that would threaten the territorial integrity of the state.

Manipur has been experiencing an ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meitei people, who are the dominant group, and the Kuki-Zomi people since 3 May.

This conflict has resulted in a significant loss of life, with over 142 deaths reported, as well as numerous injuries and the displacement of tens of thousands of individuals.

The violence was initially sparked by a Manipur High Court order that instructed the state to consider granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community.

However, over the course of the past two months, the conflict has also highlighted deep-rooted historical differences between the two communities.