Prayers and Appeal
- Imphal, 10th March, 2025 :: Interfaith Forum Manipur (IFM) -

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It is our humble appeal to all concerns to allow the tensed situation calm down enough for sometimes. We are anguished for the loss of more lives and injuries to many, mostly women. It saddens us more to see the violence at Kangpokpi on last 8th March, the International Women’s Day.

As the victims of violence, we all, highly appreciated the Central Government taking decisive actions to control arms and violence in the state, even when it came after many lives lost and thousands displaced.

It was helping in calming and softening postures, renewing hopes and opportunities for people to engage in dialogue. But the situation seems to have gone back to square one too suddenly and severely. We continue to keep our hopes high.

We continue to hope that the State authority may like to take help and supports from responsible senior citizens including women peace-makers, retired goodwill government officers, and influential responsible religious leaders across the divides to prepare the ground before any such actions as road-opening, rightfully for all and as obligation of the State, are contemplated.

We like to bring in our front that many innocent lives remain without trace and proper funerals, the longing of the thousands of displaced persons; women, elderly persons and children to get back to their homes.

They do not want any more violence that lessens the opportunity of returning home, earlier. They want all concerns to peacefully resolve the conflicts. We will also like to think that people across the divides including the security personnel, in the hearts, seek peace for their wife and children at home.

Our children of this generation, who have suffered enough for the last four years due the pandemic and the present violence, deserve our love and care. Children’s rights to protection and quality education are the first priorities more than anything else.

Let us remember our children in our minds before taking any actions. Love for our children demands that we all engage in building trust and confidence with our immediate neighbours in conflict. Making best friends with our immediate neighbours should be a greater challenge and responsibilities for all parents than winning the wars or defeating the others.

IFM remains ready to support peaceful ways of resolving the conflicts.

Deben Bachaspatimayum
Convener
Interfaith Forum Manipur (IFM)