Church Teams to Visit Manipur Districts to Promote Peace Between Naga and Kuki Communities

PTI, May 19, 2026, Imphal : Two church teams will visit Manipur’s Kangpokpi and Senapati districts in an attempt to promote peace between the Naga and Kuki communities, an official statement said on Monday.

The decision was conveyed to Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh by a 10-member delegation of the Council for Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI) and the Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC) during a meeting to discuss the tense situation between the two tribal communities.

The meeting came in the wake of tensions following the abduction of 38 people belonging to the two communities by armed groups.

While 31 people, including 14 Nagas and 16 Kukis, have been released, six Nagas are still being held hostage.

Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of Kuki tribes in the state, has also claimed that 14 members of the community continue to be held captive by Naga groups.

The Chief Minister lauded the role being played by church leaders in trying to defuse the crisis arising out of the hostage situation.

“The church leaders have volunteered to broker peace between the two communities,” the statement said.

Singh said he was touched by the church leaders meeting him and offering their help in restoring peace. He encouraged them to hold talks with both sides.

The church leaders will work as two separate teams for the peace initiative. One team will travel to Kangpokpi district, while the other will visit Senapati district.

“The church leaders strongly feel that hostages on both sides need to be released on humanitarian grounds urgently,” the statement said.

The team visiting Kangpokpi will meet the family members of the three deceased church leaders who were recently killed in a gun attack to express condolences. It will also hold discussions with Kuki church leaders in the district in a bid to restore peace, the statement said.

The state government has also assured that ex gratia will be provided to the three families.

The team visiting Senapati district will meet Naga church leaders and members of Naga civil society organisations to discuss the prevailing tense situation and the hostage crisis