Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, December 16 2008:
Concerned over the dismantling of a Church and alleged assault of some persons including women by local people at Chingmeirong Kabui Village in Imphal, Jesus Gospel Ministry of the North East India and the All Manipur Christian Organization (AMCO) have appealed the authority concerned to take up corrective measures to prevent any ugly incident in the future.
Chairman of the Jesus Gospel Ministry-North East India Ashang Kasar has strongly condemned the Sunday incident of Chingmeirong where a Church was dismantled by certain elements.
Jesus Gospel Ministry, the influential Christian ministry in the region said that India is a democratic, secularistic country where everyone has the right to religion which has been granted by the Constitution of India.
On behalf of the North East Jesus Gospel Ministry, Ashang Kasar pointed out that Christianity teaches to love one another and meting out violent acts on the people who love to practice the brother love among all the people and communities, is absurd and quite discouraging.
Ashang Kasar then appeals the people concern to stop resorting to such acts of violence against the Christians.
Meanwhile, briefing media persons in this regards at the conference hall of Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC), president of AMCO, Prim Vaiphei held the incident as very unfortunate that such incident has to occur in the largest democratic country like India where every body has there own rights and freedom of religion.
AMCO member Rev.Fr.Mark, while appealing to the concerned authority to take up corrective measures to prevent such incident in the future, opined that the victim's family should be compensated for the damage caused by the attack and added that peaceful co-existence should be maintained among various communities and without any animosity.
Further, during the press conference Panti Golmei, an active functionary of the AMCO also alleged that the minority Christians living in the Chingmeirong village has always been discriminated by the villagers and informed that any villagers converted into Christianity has been expelled from the village.
Apart from that the Christians living in the village has always been harassed from time to time, she alleged.
Amidst all these unfortunate incidents in the village, Kaphun and his family (victims) expressed their desire to live with the people in peace and with love without any feeling of enmity.
The AMCO members also visited the site where the incident had taken place.