Indian Christians still reeling, 2 years since Manipur violence

Checking in on our brothers and sisters in Manipur State, India, 24 months after the violent riots that turned everything upside down for believers

“[My] family hid in my parents’ room, while a maniacal mob laid chaos outside our gate for the second time that night,” remembers Neinu*, a Christian from Manipur State, in northeastern India. We prayed on our knees as a family, asking for an easy end if the worst-case scenario happened. What if [the mob] actually managed to break in? What if something had happened to us?”
 

“May 3, 2023, came and went but has never left our hearts and is still the longest night of our lives,” echoes Lalboi*, another believer from Manipur. “[But what] hurt the most was not the pain of losing everything; [it was] seeing our parents aging years in the span of one night, and not having the means to stop it.”
 

Both Neinu and Lalboi are still dealing with the effects of the violence that swept through Manipur State in May 2023. The violence between the Kuki tribal group—a majority-Christian ethnic community and a minority population in Manipur—and the Meitei people—a majority-Hindu and the most populous group in Manipur State—left thousands displaced, hundreds dead, villages and houses destroyed, and hundreds of churches looted and burned.
 

Twenty-four months after the violence, Manipur State is still shattered and divided. Peace and harmony are distant dreams. The displaced are still scattered and homeless, and uncertainty hangs over displaced believers’ hopes of returning to their villages and homes.
 

An ongoing nightmare

Lalboi’s house in the city was home to four generations, and his family was involved in helping marginalized people in society. His father, with local and governmental support, provided educational assistance to needy children, established sustainable livelihoods for poor families, and connected patients with chronic health needs to proper medical treatment.

But this all changed on May 3, 2023—and the deep scars remain.
 

“Two years have passed, but there are still nights we wake up thinking we are at home,” Lalboi says. “The social divide has become more real. There is fear, misrepresentation and a new measurement of losses and wins in what once seemed trivial matters. There is scrutiny over who benefits from others’ misfortune, and celebrations of the opposition’s losses on social media. Even after two years, our community still suffers silently, as the echoes of lost voices outweigh the number of new hellos.”
 

Lalboi’s home is now occupied by other displaced people who are supported by an extremist group. He has no idea when or if he and his family can ever return home.
 

Neinu’s situation is somewhat similar. She and her family were eventually chased from their home. “My last five days in Manipur felt like a nightmare,” she says. “I had never imagined running for my life from people that I once walked the same streets with. My family and I spent those days in hiding, unsure of what would become of us.” Eventually, after sleeping outside, enduring a cramped relief camp and finding their way to an airport, Neinu and her family left for a neighboring state in India.
 

“Sometimes, it feels like that part of my life did not happen,” she says. “I deceive myself into thinking that it is one of those disturbing thoughts that come into mind and leaves you bothered for the rest of your day. Only this time, it actually happened and will not leave me alone even for a single moment.”
 

Continuing to trust and hope

Even two years on, persecution against Christian converts from the Meitei community continues. Christians have been barred from prayer fellowships, even in their own homes, and stripped of social privileges. Kuki Christians, on the other hand, are still able to freely attend church and gather for prayer, though they may still be in danger because of their religion and their ethnicity.
 

Online hatred has also spread like wildfire. “Social media was once my go-to for a break from my work but has now become overwhelming, with false news making its rounds on every possible social networking site,” Neinu says. People who used to be friends now find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict, and social media has amplified their differences.

Yet, amid the hate and growing distrust, there are untold testimonies of families from both Kuki and Meitei communities helping one another with medicine supplies, shelter and groceries. They pray and hope for a future where they can live in unity as co-laborers for Christ.
 

Believers also share stories of how God is still at work even as the wounds persist. “Through all this, God has been faithful, every step of the way,” Lalboi shares. “I once saw a woman who had so much hate and despair in her eyes that she looked at everyone around her with [disgust]. It made me realize how rich are we to have the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, who never fails to amaze us with His wonders. Not because we are worthy, but because He has plans and a purpose for us. It has been a humbling experience spiritually.”
 

“As I share, I am reminded of the Bible verse Romans 8:28: ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose,’” Neinu testifies. “It is a reminder that God is still working behind the scenes for our good and for a greater purpose.”
 

And now, even two years later, Neinu, Lalboi and other displaced believers still cling to the hope of Jesus. “The struggles we’ve faced remind us that there is purpose in His calling,” Lalboi says. “It may not be of the world or how we imagined it to be, but we are valued in His sight, and that is enough to restore our strength. At our home, there is a [piece of decor] which reads, ‘Call to me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know,’ Jeremiah 33:3. This has been our family’s guiding light.”

*Names changed for security reasons.