Manipur: Paradise Lost?

On 3 May 2023, a protest unleashed age-old tension between tribal communities, and turned violent. Churches were burnt, hundreds were injured and at least 60 people were killed. One of our pastors shares the following report for our prayers. 

I’ve been to Manipur almost every year since 2011.It’s a beautiful state nestled in the North-Eastern corner of India that adjoins Myanmar. You will be charmed by her lush valleys, rolling hills, rich diversity of flora and fauna and the scenery up in the mountains. Her thirty tribes each add their unique culture and history to this earthly paradise. But was it “paradise lost” when it went up in flames in the powder keg that ignited on 3 May recently?

Christianity first came to Manipur through William Pettigrew in 1894. His first stopover was at Imphal in the valley region of Manipur where he preached the gospel. Due to the opposition from the locals, he was given an ultimatum by the British Political Agent: either leave the state or go to the hill regions.

Pettigrew chose the latter and arrived at Ukhrul in 1896 to preach the gospel among the Tangkhul-Nagas. A few years later 12 converts from Ukhrulwere baptized. Phungyo Baptist Church was soon established as the first church on 29 Sep 1901.Today, 38% of the population of Manipur, mostly tribal people from the hill regions, are Christians. In contrast, the valley people who are mostly Meiteis, remain Hindus. One can only imagine how differently things could have turned out had the Meiteis, who were the original people Pettigrew shared the gospel with, also welcomed him.

My annual visits to Manipur since 2011 allowed me to forge close friendships with key church leaders, including council members of a major denomination. They are grateful that I’m training many of their pastors to thrive over the long-haul. Some young adults from my church in Singapore also joined me to train their peers in Manipur. To show their appreciation, the council members of their denomination would host special dinners to thank us each year. 

On one occasion their former Secretary General and his council personally brought our Singapore team to visit the iconic Loktak Lake as appreciation for our ministry. In return it was also my joy to have hostedtheir council members during their stay in Singapore some years ago. Ministry is about building trust and friendship before programs and training modules. Manipur is truly a lovely place, with people who are lovely at heart. 

When I last visited Manipur in February 2023, I asked some of my friends there: “Would you ever trade Manipur to live in any other place in India?” The answer always was a resounding “No, never!”To the locals, Manipur is as close to paradise as one can ever get.

All that changed on 3 May 2023. Thousands of tribals protested that the majority Meiteis were demanding to be recognised as Scheduled Tribe (ST). The tribals felt that the Meiteis were already more well-off and exercised much greater political clout. The ST status was historically granted to the Tribalsas a protection to lessen the inequalities. It allowed the Tribals to enjoy certain privileges – such as places in universities and government jobs that were reserved for them, plus some electoral seats. 

Their fear is that granting ST status to the Meiteis will further elevate the inequalities. It will also allow the Meiteis to farm on forest land and to even purchase land in the hills – both of which are seen as encroachments on the ancestral rights of the Tribals.

The peaceful protest soon turned violent. It marked an inflection point in the trouble-ridden history of Manipur. Decades-old tension between the Meiteisand Tribals finally exploded on 3 May. It was the worst communal violence in living memory.

A dear friend of mine whose family and villagers had to flee for their lives said, “Manipur may never be the same again.” He sent me a “Letter from Ground Zero”which detailed atrocities such as: “A father making it to an army camp while a mother and child were slaughtered within inches… a youth being burnt to ashes alive… children made to witness their homes being burnt down… Meitei flags being planted on top of churches before they were burnt… pastors being hunted…”

The Chief Minister of Manipur subsequently acknowledged during a press conference: 60 people had died; 230 people were injured; 23,000 had been evacuated for their safety; 1,041 firearms were looted from police stations; 214 arms had been returned; 1,700 homes were damaged or burnt. The Chief Minister was silent about churches that were burnt. 

But my close friend, who is a denominational leader, told me that 158 Meitei churches plus 70 Tribal churches had been burnt. This was based on ground reports that filtered back to their leadership.

Let us pray for Manipur. 

1. Ask God to intervene to cease the evil instincts of those who spread violence and hatred. 

2. Pray that innocent lives and properties will be protected beyond what is already lost, and for God to deeply comfort those who have lost dear ones. 

3. Pray for security forces to be even-handed as they maintain law and order, and for the curfew to bring calm to the situation. 

4. Pray that the fault lines between Meiteis and Tribals may eventually be healed, and for lasting solutions to be found.

Finally, the tragedy that erupted in Manipur is a reminder to all Singaporeans to treasure our multi-ethnic and pluralistic heritage where citizens of all races are urged to live in harmony and mutual respect.