A Change Needed for Manipur

(Transformation in Cali - Similar Need for Manipur)

By Madhu Chandra

aiccdelhi@gmail.com

March 2009

Looking at today’s burning of Manipur, this article is the out pouring of cry when and every time I watch a documentary film produced by the Global Network presented by George Otis Jr. on how the community transformation was possible in the city of Cali in Colombia in 1993.

I watched it eight years ago in 2001 shown in one night at Hyderabad. I was moved by how and what happens to the cities and lands when God visits them. I did not realize the tear falling through my chicks with a question, “when will be the possible for a similar transformation in the state of Manipur.” The condition of city of Cali was not very much different from what the situation is like in the state of Manipur. As the complete transformation through the power of God was attainable in the city of Cali and many other cities and countries, “Will the transformation be ever possible in the state of Manipur which is sickened with similar diseases; Cali had one and half decade ago?”

The community transformation became an attainable in the city of Cali through sacrificial and dedication work of Mr. Hulio Ruibal and his wife Ruth, who came to Cali in 1978. The role of Christian churches in restoring normal life in Cali was sparkled by the life and work of Mr. and Mrs. Hulio when intercessory men and women listened to what God was saying to them.

What looks like Manipur today? Killing, looting, extortion, public strike, transport strike, economic blockade every third day! An average of three persons killed each day, adds the increase of widows and orphans every day. Drug usage, risk high HIV/AIDS, increase of commercial sex workers, and gender discriminations are new faces to the decades old crisis of Manipur.

Law and Order of the state paralyzed for years. Economic and educational affected badly. Developmental projects paralyzed, the roads from one end to other left unattended, and the electricity hardly supplied two hours each day.

Can the narrative of community transformation in the city of Cali be a living example for the state of Manipur? It was attainable for the city of Cali, Kambu of Kenya, Almolonga of Guatemala and even in the neighboring state of Mizoram.

The story of community transformation in Cali might have some message to tell to what can also happen in the state of Manipur.

Brief Information on Cali, Colombia

Cali is the countries’ second largest city in western Colombia. The city of Cali is the major transportation, commercial, and industrial center of the Cauca River Valley. The valley’s fertile soil yields a variety of crops, including sugarcane, coffee, tobacco, cotton, cacao, bananas, rice, and corn. It has population nearly 2.5 million people.

The city of Cali has severe problem of drugs, terrors, cultic practice of religion, corruption in government machineries and endless violence. The city was known for drug capital in the world as a little state of Manipur is known for drug in whole of the country. The city was known for terrors and violence which led daily killing of 10 to 15 lives each day. Whole control of the city was in the hands of the drug manufacturers and peddlers. The security forces and government machineries could not touch an inch of the power controlled by drug dealers. Corruption in all walks of life was beyond imagination. Nobody could think of how the city can ever become a normal and transformed. The religion practice of the city is known to be a Christian belief but the city was controlled by cultic power of devils.

Disunity among the churches of Cali was an addition to the problems of drug, violence, terrors and corruption. Pastors and Christian leaders were so divided that they never met one another. The life of church was so much divided that whole religious affair of the city was in the control of drug dealers. It was so much control the life of religious affair that no voice against drugs dealers, terrors and corruption was ever attempted to rise. Anyone rise against had to face the shadow of terrors in the city. No government machinery, no citizens of the city and no single Christ leaders were ever strong enough to dream how the life of the city ever to be transformed by the power of Holy Spirit. Indeed when the children of God turn to the feet of Almighty God, nothing was too difficult, actual transformation was possible for attaining when God in His mercy visited the city of Cali as the children of God in intercession started to listen to what God was saying for the city of Cali.

How the Transformation Took Place in the City of Cali?

George Otis Jr. who spent years in reading the sign post leading to the community transformation report how the city of Cali took transformation, “Mr. Hulio and Ruth Ruibal heard the condition of the city and came there as missionary in 1978. He attempted to mobilize the churches of Cali to bring into unity to fight the evil system of the city, but he was critically condemned even by fellow missions, churches apart from terrors, drug dealers and many cults.”

In the midst of threat, he tirelessly prayed, appealed and mobilized to generate revival among the churches of the city. The bold steps in the midst of terror’s threat, he went to organize public rally to speak openly against the drugs, terrors, violence, cults and corruptions. He was threatened with dare consequences if he did not give up.

Hulio, within his deep heart with a weak feeble feet trembling, leaned on Sovereignty of God pleaded Him to visit the city he loves the most. He predicted that nothing was impossible for God that the city of Cali to be transformed some day. In the open Soccer stadium, he went out preaching, pleading, appealing the churches of the city to hear what God was telling and few of the Christians responded coming out openly to pray for the city and begun to listen to what God was saying. Hulio with strong conviction to bring the city at the feet of Jesus in repentance, felled at the hand of terrors in one morning in 1993 gruesomely killed by the terrors of the city.

The faith of Hulio, his dream and prediction came into reality at his funeral, where whole city churches, pastors and Christian leaders finally came forward condemning the evil system, practices, drugs, terrors, and corrupt government machineries. It was nothing else but through the dreams of Hulio, the new dawning came to the city of Cali. Every Christian came forward pleading before God to bring transform to the city. New transformation from drug affected society, a transformation from terrors to peaceful society, community, a transformation from violence to non-violence, indeed became possible in the city of Cali and thereafter the city remains never the same. The drug manufacturers were arrested, terrors were encountered and condemned openly. The violence in the city drastically reduced and the city witnessed days without killing soon after the killing of Hulio.

The Soccer Stadium used to be for soccer match, became a place where celebration in the hearts of every individual became really in endless night prayer and worship led by the churches of the city. The city of Cali became a city released from drugs, terrors, violence, corruption and cult practices, where people begun walking nights and days without any shadow of fear. Transformation of spiritual, economic, and social life became reality in the life of Cali!

What Can the Transform of Cali be Relevant to the life of Manipur?

Examining the condition of Cali before the transformation took place in the city; one would find very similarity of the conditions in the state of Manipur. This is the point where and whenever I watch this documentary film of transformation, I did not realize how the tears on my face rolling through chicks. Like Hulio, in voiceless volume of heart, cried many sleepless nights with questions, “When we will have the change like in the city of Cali? Or do we do need to wait another Hulio to sacrifice?”

Badly is the need of transformation in the state of Manipur, otherwise, the ongoing crisis of the state will push so far that she would never able to return back to her normal life! The killing culture of the state, be it by security forces or any militant groups of any tribes and communities must be equally condemns. The increase of widowhood and orphans caused by daily killing is the great concern for every citizen of the state.

Before it is too late, every individual of Manipur must stand up now in defending, restoring and rebuilding of the state.

What brought the transformation to the city of Cali? It was the people belong to that city? Government failed, police machinery failed, but it was churches of city that took challenges and generated the transformation to Cali!

The similar transformation can be brought to Manipur only by the public of Manipur. Government has failed, Arm Forces has failed, and the State Police has failed. Now it must be by the people of Manipur for the people of Manipur. For this every communities of all tribes, all faith and all sections of society is needed to involved.

I being the follower of Jesus, I do trust in the power of His church that brought transformation in their different context of the world as it happened in Cali and even in our neighboring state - Mizoram. But the sad story is that the Christianity in the state of Manipur has not fulfilled the biblical mandate to bring the transformational message to the state. I believe in the role of the Churches that can take part in bring the transformation, restoring peace and harmony among the Manipur society.

What Kind of Transformation we are talking about?

For Cali is was a transformation generated by God, by bringing his people in unity to pray for the healing of the Land, which indeed healed the economic, spiritual, intellectual and the social life of the city.

Manipur need the similar transformation of economic, spiritual, intellectual and social life which is stricken by the diseases of drugs, terrors, violence, corruption and communalism. How can it be ever possible? For Cali, it was possible when the people responded to the home calling of God. It was possible when the chosen people of God pleaded for the city. It was possible when the Christian community opened their mounts against evil system of the society.

Why have not the Christians in Manipur responded to so deadly stricken situation of the state? Sparing life today without uttering a single voice because of fear will never spare in future.

“You are the salt and light of the earth” is the characteristic given to the followers of Jesus by the Master. The Christian churches can play role of salt and light of the earth in the context of the situation in Manipur.

Can the history repeat in the state of Manipur like it happened in the city of Cali? The recreation of new generation in the state of Manipur can only be possible by the people for the people, in which the Christian churches will play vital role.

Madhu Chandra is New Delhi based Human Rights Activist involved in advocacy on behalf of faith based, caste based and race based discriminated people of India. He is Spokesperson of North East Support Centre & Helpline (www.nehelpline.net), Regional Secretary of All India Christian Council (www.aiccindia.org) and National Secretary of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations (www.scstconfederation.org).