STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Zonal Committee of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP) strongly condemned the ambush and killing of church leaders and civilians travelling from Churachandpur to Kangpokpi for an ecclesiastical peace meeting. It expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families, the Thadou Baptist Association, the United Baptist Council, the Christian community, and all others affected by the incident.
It stated that the victims included Rev. V. Sitlhou, President of the Thadou Baptist Association, along with Rev. S.M. Haopu, Rev. Hekai Simte, Rev. Kaigoulun, Rev. Paothang, Pastor Paogou, and the driver, Goumang. The committee observed that the targeting of unarmed religious leaders and peace-builders represented an attack not only on humanity but also on the spirit of brotherhood and coexistence among tribal communities. It said that individuals who had dedicated their lives to reconciliation and peace should never have become victims of violence.
It further noted that at a time when dialogue and healing were urgently needed across the Northeast, such acts only deepened mistrust and divisions among communities that had lived together for generations, adding that no ideology, armed movement, or ethnic agenda could justify the taking of innocent lives.
The ABAVP Zonal Committee appealed to all tribal communities, civil society organisations, armed groups, and community leaders to shun violence and uphold peace, mutual respect, and human dignity, stressing that tribals must not take one another’s lives and that bloodshed between brothers must come to an end.
It also urged the government and concerned authorities to conduct a fair and impartial investigation, bring the perpetrators to justice, and ensure adequate security for civilians travelling through vulnerable areas. The committee concluded by stating that the Northeast had already suffered enough pain, displacement, and division, and that the time had come to protect peace rather than destroy it, emphasizing that violence could not build a future and that only peace could.
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