In February of this year, a local altercation in Manipur’s Ukhrul District escalated long-standing tensions between the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities, leading to property destruction, militant attacks, and displacement.
On Wednesday, May 13, our 21Wilberforce team woke up to a flood of messages from India. Three pastors from Manipur, India—Rev. Dr. Vumthang Sitlhou, Pastor Kaigoulun Lhouvum, and Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou—had been ambushed and killed while returning from a church gathering. They belonged to the Thadou Baptist Association.
Rev. Dr. Sitlhou, a former General Secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention, played a significant role in peacemaking among Manipur’s communities and participated in peace mediation efforts only days before his death.
There is no simple framework for understanding the decades-long conflict in Manipur, which involves armed groups associated with three major communities: the Kuki-Zo and Naga peoples, who are predominantly Christian, and the Meitei, who are predominantly Hindu. The region is home to numerous armed and insurgent groups, some of which operate across the border in neighboring Myanmar.
The identity of the attackers has not been confirmed. This latest attack appears to have been driven primarily by tribal and ethnic tensions between Kuki-Zo and Naga communities. While the current violence appears primarily rooted in ethnic and tribal tensions, its impact on the Church has been profound. Christian leaders from both communities now face the difficult task of pursuing reconciliation amid grief, fear, and pressure from their own constituencies. This violence has deeply affected the ministries of local churches and threatens to further divide Manipur’s Christian communities.
In 2023, more than 200 people were killed and over 300 churches and church buildings were destroyed during violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities in Manipur. That conflict had both economic and religious dimensions. The state has remained divided along ethnic lines. Thousands have been displaced, and many continue to face barriers to basic medical care, education, employment, and normal community life.
Following the May 13 killings, members of both the Kuki and Naga communities were kidnapped and held hostage by opposing armed groups. Through dialogue initiated by government officials and church leaders, some hostages were released. On June 1, the United Naga Council announced that it was facilitating the release of 14 Kuki hostages but later suspended the effort, citing public pressure to withhold their release until six Nagas reportedly held by Kuki militants were also freed.
Today in Manipur, Baptist and Christian leaders among the Kuki and Naga communities are fervently working for peace despite enormous pressure and danger. 21Wilberforce is supporting them as they call for the immediate release of all hostages and the de-escalation of the conflict.
Please join these leaders and 21Wilberforce as we pray for peace in Manipur:
- Pray for the protection of church and community leaders, for God’s Spirit to guide them, and for the hearts of armed group leaders to be softened.
- Pray for the safe return of all hostages and for the safety of those mediating the conflict.
- Pray for Indian authorities to pursue justice and provide protection for all communities.
- Pray for renewed momentum toward peace and unity in Manipur. Northeast India is home to millions of Baptists and other Christians. Pray that believers across Manipur and Northeast India would demonstrate unity in Christ that transcends tribal and ethnic divisions, and that the world would see Jesus through the witness of His people (John 17).
We also invite you to watch this short but powerful video of Haominlun Sitlhou speaking at the funeral of his father, Rev. Sitlhou. In a remarkable testimony of Christian faith, he publicly forgave his father’s killers and said, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. Today I want to ask every Christian in Manipur: do you have the fruit of the Spirit in you?”
Photo caption: The Kuki Student Organization (KSO) organized a candlelight vigil on May 13, 2026 following the killing of three pastors. Photo credit: KSO
June 4, 2026