The first training was a two-day event with the Baptist association leaders. There is a core of very committed Baptist peacemakers working with the Manipur Baptist Convention's General Secretary Vumthang Sitlhou. I was very impressed with their vision and how they were making progress step by step along the way to give some substance to that vision. Manipur has the highest killing rate of any state in India. There are many insurgent groups, countered by the Indian army and state paramilitary forces. There is a movement of resistance in Manipur against India rule as well as conflict between various groups including inter-tribal violence. The Baptists bridge a lot of these divisions, so they have a special opportunity for peacemaking.
We had a broad-ranging training, and participants especially appreciated digging into the Biblical teaching related to the various conflict transformation themes. We explored stories such as the conflict in Acts 6 which saw the church grow through constructively handling their inter-ethnic conflict and Esther 4 when the margins mobilized to overcome a genocidal policy. We dealt with the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (turning the other cheek, giving the coat, going the second mile) as well as the nonviolent transformative action of Rizpah in 2 Samuel 21.
Then today (Saturday) some of the Baptist leaders, especially the leading peacemaking team, were joined by an interfaith community called the United Religions Initiative--Manipur Chapter. We had some Hindu leaders, Bahais, a Muslim leader and two leaders of traditional tribal religions. Together we engaged in extensive discussions, and I gave a training segment on getting to win/win solutions, especially with a twist about identity conflicts, of which there are many in Manipur. I gave copies of Interfaith Heroes (1 & 2) to the URI leaders to share among the group members. It was good to see this group together. They aren't just meeting for dialogue and relationship building. They worked to mediate an end to a crisis this spring where Nagas and the state forces clashed ending with two students dead and an economic blockade imposed by angry Nagas blocking the main highway into Imphal. They have also helped negotiate the release of people kidnapped by insurgent groups. So these are interfaith activists making a great team to try to turn the tide in the conflicts in the region.
Tomorrow I will preach in a Rongmei Naga Baptist church on the text of Psalm 85, especially verse 10 which speaks of Truth and Mercy coming together and Justice and Peace embracing. I call it "A Recipe for Reconciliation." Then I head to the airport and start the long trip back home, flying into Delhi and catching the 2 am flight to Frankfurt and then Detroit.
