BY PC Bureau
May 18, 2026 — In a significant collective intervention amid escalating tensions in Manipur, four major global and regional Baptist Christian organisations have issued a prayerful appeal to the United Naga Council (UNC) and Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages taken in the aftermath of the May 13 killing of three senior Baptist church leaders.
The joint appeal was issued by the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (APBF), Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI), and the Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC). It directly addressed the continued captivity of civilians — including labourers and students — following the ambush that claimed the lives of Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou, Rev. Kaigoulun Lhouvum, and Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou on Tiger Road in Kangpokpi district.
Excerpts from the Appeal
“We… make an earnest and prayerful appeal to the United Naga Council (UNC) and Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) for the immediate, safe, and unconditional release of the hostages, in the spirit of Christian love, compassion, and reconciliation,” the statement said.
The Baptist bodies highlighted the human cost of the ongoing detentions, stating:
“The continued captivity of innocent persons brings anguish to families, deepens fear and mistrust within society, and wounds the collective Christian witness in the land.”
Calling on all parties to act as peacemakers, the appeal urged restraint, wisdom, and mercy.
“As believers in Christ, we are called to be peacemakers, to show mercy, and to overcome bitterness and violence through grace and forgiveness. We therefore humbly urge all those involved to act with wisdom, restraint, and compassion, and to ensure that the hostages are released safely and without harm at the earliest opportunity.”
The statement also appealed to all communities in Manipur to reject violence, retaliation, and actions that deepen suffering, and instead work towards “healing, reconciliation, communal harmony, and restoration of peace and normalcy.”Signatories
The appeal was signed by prominent Baptist leaders across multiple levels of the church hierarchy:
- Rev. Dr. Elijah Brown and Dr. Bijoy A. Sangma — Baptist World Alliance (BWA)
- Rev. Dr. Vesekhoyi Tetseo — Asia Pacific Baptist Federation (APBF)
- Rev. Dr. Namseng R. Marak — Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI)
- Rev. Dr. Jolly Rimai — Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC)
The appeal comes as more than 300 trucks and buses remain stranded along Manipur’s hill highways due to shutdowns enforced by Kuki organisations following the killing of the three church leaders.
Reports of abductions — with estimates ranging from 14 to over 25 civilians — have added a dangerous new dimension to the already volatile tensions between Kuki-Zo and Naga groups in districts such as Kangpokpi and Senapati.
READ: Only in Manipur—Killing, Mass Abduction, but No Probe, No Suspects, No Arrest
The church leaders had been returning from a peace meeting in Churachandpur when they were ambushed by unidentified gunmen. Their deaths sent shockwaves through Christian communities across the Northeast, as all three were widely regarded as influential voices for reconciliation in a state scarred by ethnic violence since May 2023.
Despite widespread condemnation and multiple rounds of negotiations, no arrests have been made in connection with the killings, and the identities of the attackers remain unknown to the public. The absence of visible progress in the investigation has further weakened public confidence in the state administration’s ability to restore order and ensure justice
The coordinated intervention by apex Baptist organisations is significant because churches have historically played a vital mediating role in Manipur’s deeply fractured social landscape.
By directly addressing both the UNC and KIM — the apex civil bodies representing Naga and Kuki communities respectively — the statement seeks to exert moral and spiritual pressure for de-escalation at a moment of mounting hostility.
As highways remain blocked, families anxiously await the release of loved ones, and daily life across the hills remains paralysed, the Baptist organisations’ appeal for “humanity to prevail over hostility” underscores the urgent need for dialogue, restraint, and reconciliation before the crisis spirals further.
Whether this faith-based intervention can help break the current deadlock remains uncertain. But it adds a powerful moral voice to the growing calls for the safe release of all hostages and an end to the cycle of violence and retaliation in Manipur.
