Itanagar: Nearly 500 youths from across Arunachal Pradesh gathered at the Divine Renewal Retreat Centre in Assam’s Margherita on Sunday to pray for peace and forgiveness in violence-hit Manipur.

Leading the candle-lit prayer for peace, Bishop George Pallipparambil of Miao diocese appealed to the youth to be messengers of peace and forgiveness. “What we have witnessed in Manipur is nothing less than what happened in Ukraine. In this tragic moment of pain and uncertainty, we need to stand united and spread the message of peace across Manipur,” said the chairman Bishop of Youth Commission of North East India Regional Bishops’ Council.

Ethnic violence that began in Manipur on May 3 claimed more than 70 lives. As per reports, the violence also left over 200 people critically injured and around 30,000 displaced.

The Bishop said, “The victims of any form of violence are always the innocent. We express our solidarity with the families affected and we pray that peace and normalcy return to Manipur soon.” He also requested the gathering to extend their helping hand to support the victims of the Manipur clashes.

Speaking at the prayer meet, Taw Tebin, president of Arunachal Pradesh Catholic Association (APCA), said, “I appeal to each of you to keep your eyes and ears open to guard yourselves against the divisive forces that are scheming to create division and polarisation on ethnic and religious lines in our state.”

In the multi-cultural tribal context of Arunachal Pradesh, the APCA president reminded the youth, “In a state like ours where more than 100 tribes have peacefully coexisted, we can ill afford to have an ethnic conflict like in Manipur. It is not enough that we pray for peace. We need to promote peace.”

The unrest in Manipur began when ethnic tribal people organised a protest march against the likelihood of the non-tribal community being recognised as a Scheduled Tribe.

Recalling the experience at cramped shelter camps, damage to homes and places of worship and a general sense of uncertainty during the Manipur crisis, Sister Anna Gangmai, a missionary nun from Manipur working in Arunachal Pradesh, said, “Our families are left with so much uncertainty towards our future. We do not know when things are going to be normal again.” Her own family too has been displaced during the violence.

Over 60 per cent of the 30-lakh population of Manipur belongs to the Hindu-majority Meitei group, while Christian tribal groups like Kukis and Nagas make up the remaining 40 per cent.