The Hindu-majority Meitei community in northeast India’s restive Manipur state have called off an annual religious pilgrimage to sacred hills following an alleged threat from predominantly Christian tribals in the area, according to sources. The Meitei people scrapped their pilgrimage to the Thangjing Hills in tribal-dominated Churachandpur district on April 14 after the tribal community vowed to oppose access to the area, the unnamed sources said. Animosity between the state’s Meitei and tribal groups has resulted in sectarian violence since May 2023 that has left more than 260 people dead and about 60,000 displaced. Most victims were tribal Christians. Some Church leaders expressed dismay over the tough stance taken by the tribal groups. “It would have been a good occasion for promoting goodwill and brotherhood,” a Church leader based in the state capital Imphal told on April 15 on condition of anonymity. “We cannot restore peace without dialogue and any act that aggravates hostilities and ill will should be avoided,” added another Christian leader who also wished to remain anonymous. Local sources say young Meitei reached the buffer zone that divides the Imphal Valley where most Meitei live, and hilly areas dominated by tribal people on April 14. But they returned home after security forces and their elders told them to go back following a threat from the tribals. Meitei people consider the Thangjing Hills as being a scared religious site. Every April, during Cheiraobab — the Meitei New Year they trek to the hills to offer prayers to their deity, Lainingthou Sanamahi.
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