- 16 May, 2025
Churachandpur, 16 May, 2025: In the once peaceful hills of Churachandpur, now marred by grief and unrest, the silence speaks volumes. The ethnic violence of 2023 tore through this land like a tempest, uprooting thousands of lives and leaving in its wake a trail of sorrow and shattered homes. From May 9th to 14th, 2025, I journeyed through these hills, meeting those who now bear the label of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), yet whose dignity and faith remain unmarred.
In relief camps and resettled homes, I encountered survivors of unimaginable trauma, widows, elderly parents and orphaned children all striving to rebuild what was lost. Their eyes reflected both the ache of the past and a flicker of hope that refuses to die. While their material losses of homes, land, livelihoods are beyond measure, their spiritual resilience is truly remarkable. Again and again, I heard them say: “We have lost everything, but God has saved our lives.”
The Church, ever the compassionate mother, has not turned away from her suffering children. With love and solidarity, congregations like the Vincentians, Jesuits, CRI Tamil Nadu, and the Archdiocese of Imphal have offered refuge. Through their efforts, hundreds now have a roof over their heads, though their needs remain many. As one widow told me, “We have walls to sleep under, but no bread to share.”
Livelihood support remains an urgent concern. Many, especially women and the aged, lack the resources or opportunity to earn a living. Grace (name changed), a young woman from Belpaun village, is educated but unemployed. Her parents are aged, and she cannot leave them to seek work elsewhere. “We survive on hope,” she whispered, eyes brimming with tears.
Yet hope finds form through faith-driven action. The CCBI Commission for Migrants, in collaboration with the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), has offered more than sympathy, they have offered accompaniment. In February and again in May, over 200 vulnerable individuals, including children, the sick, and widows, received essential food support. These resettled families, who are not in government-run relief camps, are often excluded from ration benefits. I witnessed a ration loaded in an ambulance stopping outside a camp while those in resettled homes, mothers with nursing infants, aged men, and the disabled were turned away.
The ICMC, in close partnership with the Commission, has also supported long-term recovery. Livelihood programs, particularly in poultry farming, are now being introduced. One such beneficiary, Cathy (name changed), joyfully shared how the poultry she received became the first step towards self-sustenance. Out of 100 identified women, 45 have already received this support. Training in mental health (March 2025) and legal awareness (May 2025) have further empowered around 135 IDPs through local volunteers.
Fr. Athanasius Mung of Singngat Parish has been a tireless shepherd for his people. With the support of CCBI, he has trained twelve volunteers in mental health first response and then paralegal services as beacons of healing in an otherwise forgotten land.
Fr. Lourd Samy also feels deeply for the Kukis under his parish in Tuibong. “They do not even have hand-to-mouth living,” he said sorrowfully. Through his tireless efforts and the generous support of CRI Tamil Nadu, houses were constructed for 50 displaced families, offering some semblance of stability. A few displaced families now rent homes in Lamka and Churachandpur, managing basic sustenance thanks to marginal job opportunities.
Still, in many resettlement areas, even basic amenities remain out of reach. Electricity and borewell water have not yet reached several sites. The transformers installed are not suited to actual power supply needs, leaving homes dark and powerless. Children walk miles to find schools. Emergency health care is a distant hope. A retired catechist said, “If anyone falls seriously ill, only God can help.”
Now the question remains: Who will give them justice for all they have lost? The government has yet to announce a compensation policy for this violence-hit population. The Church walks with them, but the silence from the state remains deafening.
And yet, amid ash and ruin, faith endures. The Church continues to stand as a living witness of hope, and the people, though wounded, still lift their eyes to the hills, from where their help shall surely come.
By Sister Rani Punnasseril HCM
Image credit: ANI
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