SW News: A Catholic archbishop from the north-eastern part of India has appealed for help for people displaced in ethnic clashes which left many churches, schools and houses burnt and seventy people dead. Archbishop Dominic Lumon of the Archdiocese of Imphal, which covers the entire state of Manipur made this appeal for humanitarian aid to provide solace to thousands of people who were forced to flee and take refuge in makeshift camps.

Fighting broke out after the mostly Christian tribal people in the state opposed the move by the dominant Meitei group, who are mostly Hindu, to seek official tribal status that guarantees reservation in government jobs and higher education. The fighting led to the large-scale targeting of Christian institutions and places of worship. Although official figures say that 45,000 have been forced to flee their homes and villages, it is estimated that the number could be much higher.

The archbishop said in his message that there is fear and uncertainty along with a sense of hopelessness and despair among the displaced masses. In his appeal, he said, “two communities are warring and it has affected all the people of Manipur irrespective of which community one belongs to.”

The Vicar General of Imphal Archdiocese Fr Varghese Velikakam blamed the local police for failing to stop the attacks. In a letter sent to all Catholic prelates of India, he said, “Why is it that vulnerable places even after attempted attacks were left unguarded? Unconfirmed numbers of the destroyed (mostly burnt) churches are more than 40.

The priest also alleged that the Church and its institutions have suffered the fury of the mob in at least eight places in the north-eastern state which borders Myanmar. Fr Velikakam said that the spurt in the attacks on church institutions which are unrelated to the conflict point out that the violence was pre-meditated and fanned by hardline outfits.

He added that in spite of the attacks on the Christian community, the Church must “go slow” and desist from taking any “hasty decision”, which has the potential of being branded as biased. He said that amid the conflict, the Church has to be neutral and promote greater peace and unity among diverse communities.