Genesis of the All Manipur Christian Organisation

Pro Kungsong Wanbe *

In view of the gravity of injustice and atrocity committed by the 21st Assam Rifles to the common people in Manipur, especially their maltreatment against the Christian leaders of Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC), an emergency meeting of Christian leaders of Manipur was called on 28/2/89 by Rev. W. Roel, former president of Manipur Baptist Convention at (MBC) conference hall at 11 :00 am. The meeting was attended by many Christian leaders representing almost all the Christian denominations operating in Manipur.

"The meeting was opened with a scripture reading from Amos 5: 21 and a prayer offered by Rev Ramkhun Pamei, Rev Douzapao Haokip and Rev W Roel were appointed as chairman and secretary, respectively for the said meeting. The members present condemned the inhuman acts perpetrated by the 21st Assam Rifles on various segments of the people of Manipur particularly their attack on the Christian Religious institution and Christian leaders. The members present, after a minute discussion, decided to form an action committee under the name "All Manipur Christian Action Committee" (AMCAC). The members present elected Rev Douzapao Haokip to be the ad-hoc convener of the AMCAC until its officers were elected. The second meeting was held on 6/3/89 at MBC conference hall at 11 :00 am.

The AMCAC ad-hoc was represented by the following members from different denominations :

1. MBC—Rev W Roel and Mr H Thumthung
2. ECCI—Rev Douzapao Haokip and Mr Ginhen
3. EELC—Rev N Kaizanang and Mr Chinkhanthang
4. SDA—Pro YD Luikham and Pro Kungsong Wanbe
5. RCC—Mrs Byrne and Mr John Wungreithei
6. UPC—Pro N Kam and Rev Khupseh
7. AG—Rev J Khuma and Mr Rokhum Zoute

In the said meeting of 6/3/89, the existing ad-hoc members of the AMCAC were reaffirmed and officially declared to be regular with the appointment of some more new officers, as follows:

1. Douzapao Haokip - President
2. Rev RR Lolly - Vice President
3. Rev N Kaizanang - General Secretary
4. Mr John Wungreithei - Asst general secretary
5. H. Touthang - Treasurer
6. Mr H Thumthung - Accountant

As Mr Wungreithei had left Imphal and no longer participated in the AMCAC activlfies, Pr Kungsong Wanbe was appointed in his place. The AMCAC organised a fasting prayer in all the Christian churches of Imphal area on 12/3/89 and a silent procession was held in Imphal on 13/3/89 in protest against the atrocities committed by the 21 st Assam Rifles to the Christian workers and innocent villagers. The procession was joined by more than five thousand people.

At the close of the silent procession, a public meeting was held at Khuman Lampak. The main speakers of the public meeting were
(i) Fr Devassy Pundussarry,
(ii) Rev W Roel and
(iii) Pro YD Luikham,
Rev RR Lolly presided the public meeting. A memorandum was submitted to the President of India with copies to the Prime Minister and to all the higher authorities of both the central and the State Government.

As many Christian leaders felt that the name All Manipur Christian Action Committee is not appropriate, particularly the word, "Action" does not sound good; a proposal for renaming the committee was received. Many names were suggested, which included
(i) All Manipur Christian Council (AMCC),
(ii) All Manipur Christian Coordinating Committee (AMCCC),
(iii) All Manipur Christian Association on Relief and Development (AMCARD),
(iv) All Manipur Christian Welfare Association (AMCWA) and
(v) All Manipur Christian Organisation.

The name All Manipur Christian Organisation (AMCO) was chosen in the meeting of 12/4/89 with its resolution No. 1. The AMCO has also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India with copies to all the higher authorities of both the Central and State Governments with regard to avoidance of conducting any kind of public/general educational examinations and service recruitment examinations on Saturdays and Sundays.

The AMCO actively took part in restoring peace and normalcy in the hills and valley of Manipur. In the context of communal conflicts in the Manipur hill districts ie the Naga-Kuki feud, the AMCO was the first organisation to make a great effort to bring back peace and normalcy among these two hill communities.

The AMCO convened several meetings in the effort to bring an end to the communal conflict. On 30/9/92, the AMCO issued an appeal pamphlet for peace and also organised a mass prayer on 4/10/92 at MBC centre church for Imphal town area and on 11/10/92 at all the hill district headquarters. The AMCO formed a peace committee and visited communal clash affected people who were hospitalised at RMC, now RIMS and Chamber of Commerce.

The visiting committee members also extended Rs 200/- (Rupees two hundred) each to those who were being hospitalised and offered prayer for their soon recovery. The AMCO also visited communal clash affected villages and refugee camps and distributed cash relief. Another pamphlet was issued in both the plains and the hills : to the Nagas, Kukis, Meiteis and Meitei pangans to stop communal violence and love one another.

An AMCO silent peace rally was taken out on December 10, 2000 in Imphal in protest against the gunning down of Fr Jacob Chittinapilly, assistant parish priest of St. Joseph's parish church, Sugunu on December 2, 2000 by unidentified gunmen. Apart from protesting the killing of Fr Jacob Chittinapilly, the speakers at the rally meeting recalled the assassinations of Fr Matthew Manianchira, Principal of catholic School, Kanchipur, Fr NV Joseph, the Principal of Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Maram and assault Fr VJ Sebastian, Headmaster of Don Bosco High School, Imphal.

For the readers and general information AMCO is an issue-based organisation. In fact, AMCO raises its voice whenever any issue arises in the Christian community or in the society at large. The AMCO does not keep silence but always tries to bring back peace and normalcy. It may not be possible to mention all the issues with which AMCO had involved itself. The following are some of the issues in the resolution of which AMCO had played a major role.

Mention may be made here that at the request of the Chief Minister of Manipur and his Cabinet Ministers, the AMCO rescued the former Deputy Commissioner of Chandel district Shri Thamkishwar Singh from Chandel area who was detained by a Naga underground organisation; and another NGO leader from Germany who was detained by a Kuki underground organisation was also rescued from Nongdam Kuki area. The AMCO expressed their thankfulness to the underground organisations for heeding to AMCO's request for release of the hostages.

The AMCO also visited the families of children who had been kidnapped and killed, women who had been raped and killed etc. The AMCO also submitted a memorandum to Mr Shivraj Patil, then Honourable Union Home Minister in connection with the excesses of security forces committed against innocent civilians.

Among those
(i) 9 (nine) villagers of Tabanglong village in Tamenglong district including two Meitei chili traders were killed by the army posted at Tamenglong on the 28th of December, 2000,
(ii) Pro Jamkholet Khongsai of Saichang village was killed allegedly by the 21 st Assam Rifles personnel and his bullet riddled body was found buried in the jungle near Bongyang village under Yairipok police station on the 8th of July 2004,
(iii) The gruesome custodial killing of the alleged lady insurgent, Thangjam Manorama Devi by the 17th Assam Rifles personnel in the intervening night of the 11 and 12 July, 2004 and
(iv) The cold blooded killing of ailing youth Jangkholien Chongloi aged 28 of Saikul Purum Likli in front of his family members without trial on 31st August 2004 at Khongsai veng by the Imphal West poice commandos.

Lastly but not the least, the All Manipur Christian Organisation (AMCO) appealed to both the militant groups and the security forces not to ambush and retaliate in crowded places where the possibility of civilian casualties is high. The appeal was published in The Sangai Express on the 23th of August, 2006.

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* Pro Kungsong Wanbe wrote the article for The Sangai Express
This article was webcasted on August 24 2010.

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