IMPHAL, India – The Catholic Church in India, known for helping those affected by disasters, is having a tough time providing aid to its community in Manipur. Despite ongoing efforts, relief work is slow, hindered by heavy monsoon rains and recent floods.
Father Varghese Velickagam, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Imphal, shared that progress is slower than planned. The entire state of Manipur falls within this archdiocese.
Manipur, a small state on the border with Myanmar, has a population of about 3.86 million. Since May 2023, violence between the Christian Kuki minority and the Hindu Meitei majority has devastated the area.
This conflict forced more than 50,000 Kukis to flee Imphal Valley, while more than 10,000 Meiteis were displaced from Kuki regions like Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. Over 300 churches were destroyed.
As tensions eased and both groups settled into separate areas, the Church tried to offer relief supplies to all affected, including Meitei refugees in Imphal Valley.
Catholics make up over 100,000 of Manipur’s 1.5 million Christians, many living in remote areas. The Church set out to help 600 families with shelter and job programs, focusing on Kuki Christians who escaped to distant places, some even out of state.
Nearly 400 new homes are now complete. People are moving from relief camps as houses are finished, needing to start their lives over from scratch.
The Kuki community remains cut off from the Meitei majority, with little contact between the groups. There has been little government support for resettlement or compensation, so most rely on private donations. Father Velickagam explained that this need drove the Church to act.
The Church’s rehabilitation plan includes hiring displaced people as construction workers, and training in skills like furniture making, livestock rearing and farming.
Challenges remain. Water and electricity supplies are unreliable. The new settlements lack schools and churches. Parents struggle to keep their children in hostels for education.
Father Velickagam said they would like to help all those affected, but limited funds force them to focus on Catholic families. Just from Sugnu parish, 1,200 families lost homes, and the Church has received 684 requests for help from those most in need.
Building new homes in remote, hilly areas is slow. Most land for new houses was donated by Kuki Christians, but poor roads and the ongoing monsoon make it hard to deliver building materials.
Local contractors face extra challenges. Materials cost more due to ongoing blockades, and many routes are now closed because of heavy rains and floods. Construction has stalled in some areas.
Widespread flooding across northeast India has made things worse, with over 56,000 people affected in Manipur alone.
Still, some remain hopeful. John Thangvanglian, a catechist from St Joseph’s parish in Sugnu, said the Church’s recovery work gives people hope. Most Kuki Christians from Sugnu lost everything and found shelter in Mizoram, where they stayed in apartments provided by the local government.
Many families have already moved into new homes built by the Church. Children have been placed in hostels until families can relocate. Thangvanglian, who helped organize regular prayers for his community, is also waiting for a new home.
The Catholic Church continues its efforts, but the road to recovery is long for Manipur’s displaced families.
About The Manipur Conflict
The Manipur Conflict, erupting in May 2023, is primarily an ethnic clash between the majority Meitei (mostly Hindu) and the minority Kuki-Zo (predominantly Christian) communities in Manipur, India. While rooted in disputes over land rights and the Meiteis’ push for Scheduled Tribe status, the conflict has taken on a religious dimension, with Christians, including Catholics, facing targeted violence.
Reports indicate significant persecution of Christians, with estimates of over 200-300 Christians killed, including both Kuki and Meitei Christians, though specific Catholic deaths are less clearly documented. Over 400 churches, including Catholic institutions like St. Paul’s Parish and Holy Redeemer Parish, have been burned or vandalized. More than 60,000 people, mostly Christians, have been displaced, with many living in relief camps.
No precise figures confirm Catholic-specific fatalities, as the worst-hit areas like Churachandpur have few Catholics, but Catholic infrastructure and communities have been attacked. For instance, a Catholic youth was killed in Churachandpur, and Catholic relief efforts have been strained. The Catholic Church, with about 100,000 members in Manipur, has been active in providing aid despite challenges like monsoon floods and economic blockades.
Source: NCR
