A Catholic archbishop in India has condemned the killing of three Christians in Manipur, a state in the country’s far northeast. Source: Crux.
Three Kuki Baptist church leaders were killed and four others injured after militants ambushed a group of people who were travelling from Churachandpur to Kangpokpi for an inter-association ecclesiastical meeting.
Manipur has a population of just under 3 million, with 40 per cent being Hindu and 40 per cent being Christian. Among the state’s Tribal Peoples, Christianity is the majority religion.
The victims belonged to the Thadou Baptist Association and the United Baptist Council.
“This was not an incident. It was not an unfortunate encounter. It was a premeditated act of terrorism aimed squarely at the heart of Kuki peace-making — and it must be named for what it is,” said a statement from the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust condemning the event.
“These were not combatants. They were not political figures. They were unarmed servants of God who had laboured day and night, often at the cost of their personal safety, to build a bridge of reconciliation between the Kuki and Tangkhul Naga communities,” the statement said.
The attacks are viewed as being related to a sustained campaign of violence and territorial aggression by Kuki groups against Naga villages in the hill districts of the northeastern state.
Archbishop Linus Neli of Imphal, the capital, has appealed for peace and calm.
“This painful incident, in which innocent lives were lost and several others injured, has caused immense anguish and further deepened the suffering and uncertainty already prevailing in the state,” the archbishop added.
“I strongly condemn this heinous act committed against religious leaders who have remained a source of hope and strength during these difficult times of social unrest,” he said.
“At this time, Manipur continues to witness fresh and sporadic violence in different parts of the state, further deepening the pain faced by its people. Such tragic events remind us of the urgent need to uphold the sanctity of human life and renew our commitment to peace and reconciliation.”
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Catholic archbishop calls for calm after three Baptist ministers killed in northeastern India (By Nirmala Carvalho, Crux)
