Release hostages on humanitarian ground: Church leaders to Kukis, Nagas in Manipur

Guwahati: With highway blockades and the shutdown continuing in Manipur over the hostage standoff, leaders of several church organisations on Tuesday appealed to both the Naga and Kuki organisations to release the hostages without any condition and on humanitarian grounds.

A 10-member delegation of Manipur Baptist Convention, the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India, the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation and the Baptist World Alliance met leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC), the Naga People’s Organisation and other civil society organisations in Naga-dominated Senapati district and discussed ways to defuse the tension.

"Following the interaction, the church leaders strongly appealed for the unconditional release of hostages on both sides on humanitarian grounds. They said that this is a difficult moment for the affected families and appealed to all communities to exercise restraint, remain patient and move forward in the spirit of forgiveness and peace," said a statement issued by Chief Minister's Office on Tuesday evening.

AC. Thotso, Member Secretary, Working Committee, UNC, while welcoming the peace initiative taken by the church leaders, stated that the matter would be considered by the appropriate decision-making bodies of the organisation.

The church leaders visited Senapati a day after a meeting with Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh in Imphal. The CM convened the meeting as both Naga and Kuki organisations remained firm on their stand and at least 20 men, belonging to both the communities, remained untraced since they were allegedly held hostage on May 13. The UNC on Monday said two of the hostages are pastors.

Both Naga and Kukis are Christians and the conflict involving the two communities have added a new dimension to the conflict in Manipur, which has remained on the boil due to Meitei-Kuki conflict since May 2023.

Another team of Church leaders visited the victim families in Keithelmanbi and Damdei village in Kuki-Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi to offer their condolences. The UNC continued the blockade on the stretch of highways passing through Naga-dominated areas while Kuki Impi Manipur on Tuesday extended the shutdown by another 48-hours citing government's failure to make "any tangible difference" on the ground.

In another meeting at Imphal on Tuesday, CM Singh said security forces were carrying out combing opposition in search of those missing.