Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, December 12 2010:
Another conflict over the construction of a church at a Kabui village surfaced in Manipur when villagers of Khunglong village part-II in Senapati district led by their chief objected the construction of a church in their village.
A case has been registered by the Patsoi police of Imphal west with regard to the controversy and official sources said that investigation has started.
Even though Khunglong village part-II is located 55 km south west of Sapermaina Police Station of Senapati district, it lies within the jurisdiction of Patsoi police station of Imphal West district.
Reports said that on December 8, some villagers led by their chief KG Kaithang tried to prevent the construction work saying that it was against the standing order of the village authority.
However, they were prevented from entering the site by around 10 armed villagers led by one Katanam of same village who chased them away.
They also beat up villagers of the other contending side.
The village chief and his side charged that the construction of the church is in violation of the orders of the village authority issued on August 8, 2008 and January 28, 2009, which prevent construction of churches or any other structures related with "foreign religion" within the area covered by the village.
Mention may be made that most of the Kabui tribe who are still following their indigenous beliefs have been strongly preventing construction of churches and Christian rites and rituals saying that it will lead to the extinction of their age old culture and traditional practices.
In recent times, there had instances of dismantling of a church at a Kabui village at Chingmeirong, Imphal by villagers who strongly opposed conversion to Christianity.
A case has also been registered with the police in Imphal for displaying signboards put up by villagers at Chingmeirong Kabui village who oppose the conversion of Kabuis into Christianity.
However, some villagers maintained that they had no objection of people in the village following any religion but they could not agree with the construction of a church in the village and what they feel are the excessive activities of the Christians.