India (MNN) —`The chief minister of India’s Manipur State resigned from office this month. After the horrific 2023 outbreak of violence between the Meitei and Kuki tribal groups, Kukis have accused him of playing favorites. A plea is being heard in India’s Supreme Court claiming he was involved in the attacks the Kukis suffered. In the conflict, hundreds of people have been killed, thousands displaced, and thousands of buildings have been destroyed.
John Pudaite with Bibles For The World says about the chief minister’s resignation, “We see this as a positive development, that at least the central government is taking this situation seriously, that they realize that there has been, over the last 21 months, complete lawlessness and that all of these acts of violence and attacks do have links to the state government.”
(Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World)
While many minority Kukis are Christians, the majority Meiteis are Hindu. Pudaite wonders if the violence against Kukis was somehow a backlash against the fact that more and more Meiteis are becoming followers of Christ. It’s just another layer to the relationship between tribes that already vie with each other for natural resources and influence in Manipur State.
Since 2023, Pudaite’s team has had to move carefully with the Meitei believers they know. “Many of them were in relief camps themselves and it became very dangerous for them to stay in communication or to be receiving any funds, you know, from any Christian organization or anything associated with Christians or tribals,” he says.
Please stop right now and pray the peace and love of Christ will touch both the Kuki and the Meitei groups. God has overcome ethnic division before — just look for stories in the New Testament between Jews, Gentiles and Samaritans!
(Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World via Facebook)
The team at Bibles For The World glimpses that gospel hope carrying through today.
“Even through all this time, we have seen our partner churches there remain strong. Even though a lot of them have been displaced, have lost their jobs, they continue to find ways to continue to be involved in the ministry, both in person and financially. It’s been really reassuring the strength of the Body of Christ and how as it comes together, even in times of hardship,” Pudaite says.
“Continue praying that the Christians there, the Body of Christ, will remain strong through all these difficulties and hardships that they are facing.”
Header photo of Hospital in Manipur State (Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World).
