By Jose Kavi
New Delhi, May 16, 2023: As normalcy has limped back to Manipur, Churches have taken stock of the damages they have suffered during the four-day mayhem that ravaged the northeastern Indian state.
According to a list published by the Churachandpur District Christian Goodwill Church, as many as 121 churches and buildings belonging to 15 denominations were torched or destroyed in the ethnic violence that began on May 3 across Manipur.
The violence has claimed more than 70 lives and wounded 200 people. According to an official record, some 30,000 people have been displaced.
According to Archbishop Dominic Lumon of Imphal, the head of the Catholic Church in Manipur, about 45,000 people now live in relief camps in the valley and the hills. Around 13,800 are in Imphal west, around 11,800 in Imphal East, around 4,500 in Bishnupur, 5,500 in Churachandpur, around 7,000 people in Kangpokpi district.
Christianity, with several denominations, is the second most followed religion in Manipur, according to 2011 census data of India.
During the recent violence, the worst affected denomination was the Manipur Presbyterian Singlup that lost 39 churches during May 4-6, followed by the Evangelical Churches Association and the Manipur Presbyterian Church Synod with 14 each.
Close behind is the Tuithaphai Presbytarian Church (Manipur Synod) that lost 13 churches just on May 4.
The Evangelical Free Church of India lost nine churches on May 4 while eight places of worship belonging to the Independent Church of India were torched on the same day.
Five places of worship of the Evangelical Baptist Convention Church were completely burnt down and two were partly burned during May 3-5.
The Catholic Church, the Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church and Evangelical Organization Church suffered three losses each, while the Eastern Manipur Presbyterian Church and Evangelical Assembly Church lost two each.
The New Testament Baptist Churches Association and the Assembly of God church one building each.
Meanwhile Archbishop Lumon has appealed to people outside Manipur to send relief materials in kind and cash to help the victims.
Food is scarce as a curfew is still enforced by the army and paramilitary troops. The internet remains suspended while shops, schools and offices are closed.
Thousands of people remain stranded in crowded and unsanitary refugee camps. And reports of fresh violence over the weekend prompted fresh displacements.
According to the report, the violence has affected some 4,000 school-going students. Among them, around 1,000 have become homeless in Churachandpur and affected areas of neighboring Bishnupur district. the rest are from Imphal East district and Moreh town.