Aizawl: Special prayers were held in some churches in Mizoram for the restoration of peace in strife-torn Manipur.
Responding to a call given by the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a body comprising major church leaders, and the North East India Council of Churches (NEICC), prayers were held in some churches on Saturday night and some on Sunday.
Earlier, the MKHC and the Mizoram Presbyterian Church had expressed concern over the ongoing ethnic clashes in Manipur that broke out on May 3, and extended solidarity to those affected.
They had also strongly condemned incidents of torching of churches and vandalism of other religious structures.
Meanwhile, Mizoram is facing a resource crunch as it is yet to receive monetary assistance from the Centre to provide relief to over 12,300 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the neighbouring state, an official statement said.
The state finance department will provide Rs 5 crore to the Executive Committee on IDPs to provide relief to them, it said.
The state government has decided to raise funds from ministers, legislators, corporators, employees of central and state government departments, PSUs and commercial banks, among others, it said.
According to the state home department, a total of 12,344 people from Manipur are currently taking shelter in 11 districts of Mizoram.
Northern Mizoram’s Kolasib district hosts the highest number of IDPs at 4,383, followed by Manipur-bordering Aizawl at 4,167 and Saitual at 2,940, the department said.
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