Reconciliation in India’s northeastern state of Manipur remains premature nearly two years after inter-ethnic violence erupted, as trauma, resentment, and displacement continue to divide communities.
In an interview with the Vatican’s Fides News Agency, Father Marcus Thangminlun, CMF, said there’s “still resentment in people’s hearts, much suffering, and psychological trauma.”
“It will take some time before the wounds heal, and we can speak of dialogue again,” the priest added.
Father Thangminlun, a member of the Claretian Missionaries, was recently ordained in Manipur and is the first Claretian priest from the Kuki-Zo community.
The Claretians, present across northeastern India, were organized into a religious province in 2023 and serve mainly in parishes and schools.
Violence broke out in Manipur in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups, drawing in various Naga communities and displacing more than 60,000 people.
“The state’s society remains marked by trauma and division: the Kuki and Meitei groups are strictly separated, and the state also has the Naga, who are part of a society that was drawn into and torn apart by the conflict,” Father Thangminlun said.
He said competing political demands continue to hinder coexistence, adding that the Kuki-zo are “demanding an autonomous state, which the other groups disagree with.”
“Today, it is very difficult to speak of coexistence,” he said.
Serving amid the ongoing crisis, Father Thangminlun said his ministry focuses on peace and prayer. He described the Claretian response as both pastoral and humanitarian.
“Our charism is to proclaim the Word of God and respond to the signs of the times: We are trying to do this here in Manipur, in a torn society. Only the Spirit of God can heal the wounds and bring about an era of reconciliation,” he said.
The Claretians have established the St. Claret Mission and opened three centers for displaced people in rural districts of Manipur.
“These are internally displaced persons who have come primarily from the capital, Imphal, and cannot return to their homes and their lives before the conflict,” he said. “In some cases, their homes and property have been destroyed.”
Manipur has a population of about 3.2 million. The Meitei make up about 53 percent, while the Kuki-Zo account for roughly 16 percent.
Since Feb. 13, 2025, the state has been under direct presidential administration from New Delhi. Consultations are underway on forming a new government that could include Kuki, Meitei, and Naga representatives, with a target of February 2026.
