Prayer Campaign for Peace in Manipur

2.5 million people in Manipur, North East India, live in fear under the shadow of death. Neighboring states face a similar situation.

The bloodshed continues, two to three persons are killed each day, either by security personnel or separatist movements. Law and order has been paralyzed for years, general strikes every third day, the economy and education are badly affected, development paralyzed, only two hours of power supply each day, HIV/AIDS epidemic threat, increase in widowhood and orphaned children, increase of commercial sex workers among widows in order to survive, domestic violence, communal clashes etc. are some of the hard facts of the state.

The Government of India has failed to curb the situation especially under Arm Special Power Act (ASFPA) over last 50 years. The life of the people became very hard to live under ASFPA and also since the mushrooming of separatist movements.

The Manipur State Government has also totally failed to bring any changes over the last three decades. The constant and frequent general strikes have affected education, economy of the state, law and order and the lives of the people.

Reading the signpost of what has been happening over the last three decades, it seems, no human effort will ever be able to bring any changes in the state of Manipur!

Therefore, should we at once try to put our trust in God to visit our mother land to heal, bring the changes and restore her to what she was before.

There is a promise of God in the Bible, "If my people who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14.

God is the one who brings the end to any form of war, "God makes wars cease to the end of the earth" - Ps. 46:9

The Meitei Christians of Manipur who are the members of Meitei Baptist Convention would like to turn to God in Prayer, repentance and trust and plead God to visit our land to heal, bring the changes and restore normal life in the state.

The Meitei Baptist Convention has decided to dedicate to pray for 37 days specifically for the State, beginning from March 23 until April 30, 2009. In every local church, each day in morning and evening special prayer for one hour will be conducted. Until the killing stops, the normal life return to the state, the prayer campaign will continue.

The first week will have 720 hours of chain prayer, beginning from 5 PM on March 23 until 5 PM on March 30, 2009. Individuals or groups can sign up for any one hour or more in the Chain Prayer Chart given below.

We appeal all the churches of Manipur particularly and all the communities in general to join the prayer campaign for the state. The Christian friends around the globe and the secular friends of all religions have been also requested to uphold the state in their prayers.

This special prayer campaign for the state at any motive is neither against any groups nor any governments but it is purely a genuine movement for peace on the basis of faith on God to bring normal life, peace, harmony, law and order of the state. A Humble and honest appeal to all sections of society is to "GIVE PEACE A CHANCE." The source of peace is GOD Himself. To move God, He waits for His children to plead to Him.
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Please pray earnestly for

1. Please pray to God to have mercy on Manipur and stop from further worsening of the situation.

2. Please pray to God to generate normal and peaceful state once again.

3. Please pray to God to stop killing, bloodshed, kidnap and extortion.

4. Please pray to God to bring love and harmony among all the communities as it used to be in the history.

5. Please pray to God to restore brotherly love among all sections of societies.

6. Please pray to God to give blessing and wisdom to Manipur Government to see the lack of development and do the necessities.

7. Please pray to God to give blessing and wisdom to Indian Government, especially not to use Arm forces to solve the arm struggle.

8. Please pray to God to give blessing and wisdom to both Central and Manipur Government to understand why young people are taking up arms and try to solve with that ideology.

9. Please pray to God to use the Churches and all other religious communities to get involve in generating peace and harmonies.

10. Please pray to God to bless and provide the needs to widows and orphan children who are victims of the killings in Manipur.

11. Please pray to God to bless and preserve the education system of the state which is the source of future generation. It is badly affected by the crisis of the state.

12. Please pray to God to bless and bring the economic changes in the state which is also badly affected by the crisis of the state.