Our churches were vandalized, looted and burnt by Kuki miscreants – Meitei Christian victims

Meitei people following Christian faith today questioned the Kuki Christian followers over the rationale behind the destruction of Meitei Churches at various places.
“They burnt our vehicles and vandalized Church property on May 3 and May 4 by Kuki people following the same faith”, a Meitei Christian victim from Churachandpur, Warrepam Sobha Meitei told media persons at Manipur Press Club today. Ofcourse they didn’t burnt our Church because there are many houses of the Kuki people in the surroundings. But their motive was cleared they looted and took our church property and vandalized in the campus, Sobha said adding that why the Kuki Christian followers destroyed the churches run by the Meitei people.
Another Meitei Christian Victims of the violence Pastor Angom Shantikumar said that his Church – Manipur Baptist Church located at Sugnu Zouveng in Kakching district was vandalized by a mob on May 28 evening and later burnt by the armed Kuki militants. “We – all communities of the Sugunu area formed a peace committee to maintain harmony in the region but all of a sudden on May 27, we were told to leave the area as the Kuki militants were reportedly targeting the Meitei people”, He said adding that the Church was surrounded by the Kuki Villages and later we vacated the area our church was attacked and burnt.
Another Meitei Christian, Pastor John said that three Churches of the Meitei people located at Chrachandpur district, namely – Boljang Asha Presbyterian Church in India (R), Thingangphai Nungshiba Presbyterian Church in India (R) and Yaiphakol Presbyterian Church in India (R) were looted and vandalized by Kuki miscreants in the wake of the violence.
Pastor K. Ibungo, who looks after Immanuel Meitei fellowship Church at Shanti Veng, in Kangpokpi district said that after the Meitei people irrespective of Christian followers were driven out from the area by the Kuki miscreants, the property of their churches were vandalized and later they converted our church into kitchen.
In Imphal East district, Kuki miscreants vandalized, burnt and looted 3 Meitei Churches – Believer Eastern Church, Laikhong Yairipok, Revival Church of God, Laikhong Yairiok and Yengkhuman Baptist Church, Saikul in the first week of June.
Warrepam Tamu, a follower of the Believer Eastern Church, Laikhong Yairipok said that she along with her family and other followers were told that Meitei people are preparing to attack their churches. However, as she requested the Meitei people not harm the church it was spared. That was on May 29 and latter after the incident, the Kuki people who were staying in the surrounding of their village attacked and vandalized and burnt the church.
“The Church was built with the help of the Kuki villagers and the Kuki villagers again vandalized and burnt our church”, Tammu told the media persons.
The Meitei Christian Victims of the Manipur violence told the media persons that a church in Moreh town, which is pastured by a Kuki Pastor but members of the Church were Meitei community was also vandalized by the Kuki miscreants. The victims said that around 200 Meitei Christian Churches were burnt down by Kuki miscreants at different locations. Around 172 Meitei Christian houses were burnt at Churachandpur, around 9 Meitei houses at Moreh , 15 houses in Laikhong, 5 houses at Yengkhoman and 10 houses at Kangpokpi were burnt by Kuki miscreants during the crisis erupted since May 3 in Manipur.
The victims of the violence said that the crisis is not between the Hindu and Christian and nor a religious war.