By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 14: The targeted killing of three church leaders acting as peace mediators in Manipur has sparked a regional outcry, with Meghalaya’s political and religious heads warning that the assassination of “neutral voices” threatens to plunge the Northeast into an irreversible cycle of ethnic retaliations.
The situation escalated further following the ambush, with reports of retaliatory abductions across community lines. The United Christian Forum (UCF) has confirmed that 20 Nagas from Konsakhul village are currently being held hostage by residents of Leilon Vaiphei village. In a separate incident in the same district, 23 Kuki labourers are reportedly being detained by locals in a Naga-dominated area.
The slain leaders, belonging to the Thadou Baptist Association India (TBAI), were ambushed in Kangpokpi district on Wednesday. They were reportedly involved in brokering peace between Kuki and Tangkhul Naga communities in the restive Kamjong and Ukhrul districts.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh visited the injured survivors, who were rescued from the hills after hiding from the gunmen. The UCF, while acknowledging the Chief Minister’s intervention, urged both the state and central governments to move immediately to secure the release of the hostages and prevent further abductions.
In Shillong, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma condemned the attack, stating that violence in any form is “completely unacceptable.” He noted that the targeting of religious leaders is a deeply concerning development and called on the people of Manipur to work collectively toward restoring stability.
The United Democratic Party (UDP) described the killings as an attack on humanity and constitutional values. UDP general secretary Titosstarwell Chyne stated that the murder of unarmed religious leaders “cannot be justified on political, ethnic, or religious grounds.”
“The pastors who serve communities with peace, compassion, and selfless dedication should never become targets of violence,” the UDP stated. The party further urged the National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Minorities to take suo motu cognisance of the incident to ensure the protection of clergy in conflict zones.
The North East India Christian Council (NEICC) also issued an appeal for restraint, calling on Christian political leaders across the Northeast to exercise statesmanship to end the crisis. The council urged church bodies to refrain from any rhetoric that might escalate tensions.
UCF national president Dr Michael Williams urged both communities to end the cycle of abductions and intimidation. “It is time to stop community-line hostilities and learn to co-exist in peace,” he said.
