Manipur, We Feel the Pain

Verghese V Joseph.

Inspired by the Interfaith Forum for Peace and Harmony, Imphal, several women leaders from Manipur gathered in Guwahati on January 17–18, 2024, and conveyed their sorrow at the continuous condition of strife and hardship in Manipur during the previous nine months. With the help of Tom Mangattuthazhe and Deben Sharma from Imphal, Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil spearheaded the occasion.

The women’s team paid a brief visit to 110 young Manipuri men and women who were enrolled in Don Bosco Institute’s employment-oriented training programme.

“We feel immensely pained,” they said, “over the sufferings of those who have fallen victims of violence since it broke out in May: those who have lost their lives, those who have seen their houses and property destroyed, those who were compelled to flee their homes, and even their homeland; students who are seeking to continue their studies, adults who are struggling to make a living in different parts of India and even abroad. We are grateful to all those who have helped our people.”

“We are anxious most of all about a hundred and fifty thousand of our people pining away in relief camps in the absence of minimum life facilities, existing on a survival diet, many children missing classes, sick without adequate medical assistance, and elderly struggling without basic conveniences. The mental strain that all of them, especially young children, have gone through cannot be easily described. Many of them stand in need of psychological and spiritual assistance. This is a situation that ought not to continue,” they urged.

Most people on both sides wanted peace, and the women leaders were certain of it. They therefore asked for peace volunteers and bridge builders who should see it as their responsibility to bring the Meiteis and Kukis together, despite the fact that they were receiving new reports of violence during the conference.

They also particularly pleaded with everyone and all concerned parties to refrain from using any kind of “exaggeration,” particularly while discussing current affairs, “making accusations, issuing threats, alleging motivations,” or offering suggestions for the future. They encouraged engaged young men to transform self-assertion into responsible and educated discourse, as well as persuasive techniques for persuading those who disagree, and they suggested peace education for kids and sought out peace initiatives from elders.

They urged with great fervour, “We lay the foundation of a common future by making reasonable, moderate, and realistic proposals, keeping in mind a shared destiny of a peaceful and prosperous future.”

“We fervently pray for peace in Manipur, as the future of these young people is being built in this institution,” stated Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil. The challenges we currently face ought to motivate us to work even harder.

In view of the above, they made the following suggestions:

• That every form of exaggeration should be avoided

In describing negatively the past history, current events, or proposals for the future; in making accusations, in issuing threats, in alleging motivations, in claiming that aggressive actions are merely in self-defense… especially exaggerations in making statements and claims that undermine the future of the other community or hurt or humiliate them to excess. Exaggerations never help.

• Collaborate with all those who work for peace

For instance, educating children with ideas of peace, persuading the leaders to adopt a path of reconciliation, searching for ways to ensure a livelihood for the unemployed, and pleading with young people in violent action to choose an alternative approach to solution, …e.g. through creating zones and contexts of peace, through friendly interactions, responsible dialogue.

• The foundation of a common future be laid

Make reasonable, moderate and realistic proposals, keeping in mind a shared destiny of a peaceful and prosperous future. The recent spurt of violence should be an eye-opener to being committed to this cause in a more determined manner.

“May God assist us in this endeavour,” they prayed.