Church leaders launch peace initiative in Manipur, seeking hostage releases and dialogue amid rising tensions in Kangpokpi district
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IMPHAL — In a fresh effort to ease tensions arising out of the ongoing hostage crisis in Manipur, church leaders representing the Council for Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI) and the Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC) have launched a peace initiative involving direct engagement with both Kuki and Naga communities.
The initiative comes in the aftermath of the killing of three church leaders by unidentified gunmen at Zero Point between Kotlen and Kotzim in Kangpokpi district on May 13, which triggered fresh tensions and reports of hostage-taking on both sides.
According to a press release issued by the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Monday, the church leaders will split into two teams to carry forward peace efforts in the affected districts.
“One team will travel to Kangpokpi district, while another team will visit Senapati district. The church leaders strongly feel that hostages on both sides need to be released on humanitarian grounds urgently,” the release stated.
The team visiting Kangpokpi district is expected to meet the families of the three slain church leaders and express condolences. It will also hold discussions with Kuki church leaders in an attempt to reduce tensions and facilitate dialogue.
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The second team will travel to Senapati district to meet Naga church leaders and members of Naga civil society organisations to discuss the prevailing situation and the ongoing hostage crisis.
A ten-member delegation of church leaders met Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh in Imphal on Monday as part of the initiative. Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho also attended the meeting.
During the interaction, the chief minister appreciated the efforts being made by the church leaders to help defuse the crisis and encouraged them to continue engaging with both sides.
The state government has also assured ex gratia assistance to the families of the three deceased church leaders, the release stated.
Meanwhile, security forces continued combing and search operations in the hill ranges northwest of Leilon Vaiphei and Kharam Vaiphei villages in Kangpokpi district on Sunday as part of efforts to rescue missing persons.
“Search operations are continuing,” Manipur Police stated in a post on X while sharing photographs from the operation.
Amid continuing tensions, the Tamenglong district administration on Monday issued a travel advisory asking residents travelling between Tamenglong and Imphal under unavoidable circumstances to move only along with security convoys deployed on the highway.
The advisory urged travellers to coordinate with district police authorities to ensure safe passage.
Earlier, on May 15, the Senapati-based Naga People’s Organisation (NPO) advised people of Senapati district and Nagas in general to avoid travelling along the Senapati-Imphal road until further notice despite the official end of the agitation period declared by Kuki groups.
The state has remained tense since the killing of the three church leaders in Kangpokpi district on May 13.