Two church teams will visit Manipur’s Kangpokpi and Senapati districts to broker peace between the Naga and Kuki communities amid escalating tensions over the abduction of civilians by armed groups, the state government said on Monday.
The initiative was conveyed to Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh by a 10-member delegation of the Council for Baptist Churches in North East India and the Manipur Baptist Convention during a meeting held to discuss the prevailing security situation.
The move comes days after 38 people belonging to the Naga and Kuki communities were abducted by armed groups in Kangpokpi and Senapati districts.
While 31 hostages, including members of both communities, have since been released, six Nagas are still believed to be in captivity.
Meanwhile, Kuki Inpi Manipur has claimed that 14 members of the Kuki community continue to be held hostage by Naga groups.
Also read: Over 38 held hostage by different groups across state: Manipur HM
Church leaders to hold talks with both communities
According to an official statement, the church leaders volunteered to mediate between the two sides and stressed the urgent need for the release of all hostages on humanitarian grounds.
One church team will travel to Kangpokpi district, where members will meet the families of three church leaders recently killed in a gun attack and hold discussions with Kuki church leaders to help restore peace.
The second team will visit Senapati district to meet Naga church leaders and civil society organisations to discuss the hostage crisis and the broader tensions between the communities.
The state government has also assured ex gratia assistance to the families of the three slain church leaders.
Chief Minister Singh appreciated the role of church organisations in attempting to defuse the crisis and encouraged them to continue dialogue efforts with both communities.
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