The Christian women prayer goers also sought global attention to join them in prayer for the internally displaced persons from both the communities in the state.
TFM Kangpokpi Representative
In a soul-stirring event, the Christian women in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district prayed in the open air for their people and also , people who are against them under the scorching heat on Sunday.
Amidst the present crisis in Manipur, hundreds of Christian women including internally displaced congregated at Saparmeina village in Kangpokpi district and had a mass prayer seeking God’s blessing for their people.
The women were also seen kneeling down praying for peace with tears running down their eyes. The Christian women prayer goers also sought global attention to join them in prayer for the internally displaced persons from both the communities in the state.
Deinou, one of the Christian women participating in the prayer said, “Our place of worship, the core of our belief had been ruined, but we stood together and prayed for ourselves, our people, and the people who inflicted this on us”.
“We could not find our family any longer, and we don’t know their whereabouts, however, no matter the circumstances of not having no place over our heads, not having a place to go to, and not having a Church to call our own, and not having a home we can dwell in, we have come together and prayed under the burning sun for peace, and God’s blessing for our people and the people who are against us”, she added.
She also said, “We call upon our God to bless us and also we seek blessing not just for us but for all the people across the state. She continued that today, we stand together praying for peace for ourselves, and for all the people who have stood against us while adding that they may come against us but we pray for their better future”.
“May they [people who stood against them] find peace and blessing”, she asserted.
Deinou then seeks global attention in helping the internally displaced persons in the state of Manipur.
Attempting to forcefully declare peace will only ignite more violence, says COTU
It may be mentioned that till May 20, there were no signs of peace or normal in Kangpokpi district as a commotion broke out along the National Highway-2 at Saparmeina, around 15 Km. away from Kangpokpi District Headquarters towards Imphal.
The incident reportedly occurred at around 4:00 PM on May 20 when security forces led by Kangpokpi SP Manoj Prabhakar, IPS in the presence of Kangpokpi District Magistrate, Mukesh Hiralal Chaudhari, IAS proposed to visit villages within Kangpokpi district.
Hundreds of volunteers in no time congregated along the National Highway-2 at Saparmeina and blocked the highway and even restricted the officials to return to Kangpokpi after meeting with the Committee on Tribals Unity or COTU, Sadar Hills at Gamnom Saparmeina Police Station.
However, the COTU leaders calm down the tense situation and let the officials go.
Meanwhile, an attempt to bring down a few loaded trucks to Imphal at around 5:30 pm almost flared up a tense situation had not the Assam Rifles and Kangpokpi police intervened.
Later in the evening, the Committee on Tribals Unity, Sadar Hills Spokesperson, K. Sitlhou while speaking to the North East Live said that the attempt to bulldoze the public sentiment and forcefully declare normalcy or peace has been strongly initiated by the Government and its machinery these days in Kangpokpi district when in fact the situation has never been normalized.
He continued that the proposal to visit villages by the district administration, district police, and security forces during this critical situation when all are in fear and apprehensive mood is considered by the public as part of the Government and its machinery’s policy and plan to forcefully declare normalcy and peace in Kangpokpi District and that is why the enraged mobs resorted to blockade and agitations today at Saparmeina.
He maintained that unless the Government restored long-lasting peace and normalcy by coming up with policies and plans after achieving the people’s confidence, the attempt to create and fabricate peace and normalcy will never serve a purpose rather it will only ignite more violence.
Therefore, on behalf of the people of Kangpokpi, I urged the state government and its machinery never to attempt or initiate any policies and plans to bulldoze the public sentiment for forceful normalcy or peace in the district.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Committee on Tribals Unity, Sadar Hills said that shops in Kangpokpi town were asked to open for the internally displaced persons who were evacuated in the district to buy their essential needs and this should not be taken as if normalcy is limping back in the district.
Not a single commercial vehicle could not pass the highway till now, and no educational institutions could be open yet, which clearly demonstrated that the situation is still very grim and there is no sign of normalcy or peace in the district, he added.
He also urged the Government and its machinery to avoid any attempt to aggravate the situation by initiating any policies and plans to forcefully declare normalcy and peace when in fact the situation is never in normal mood.