Translation Projects in Manipur, India

Manipur is a state in northeast India bordered by Myanmar (Burma) on the east with a population of around three million people. The rugged hills are home to various tribal communities, the majority of whom are Christian. The flat plains, where the capital Imphal is located, are primarily inhabited by the Meitei people, who are mostly Hindu but also include a Christian minority. For decades there have been ethnic tensions, political and religious issues, and competition over land and resources between these two groups.

The hill tribes had complex spiritual beliefs, and some had traditions that included headhunting before Christianity arrived in the late nineteenth century. Today thousands of Christians live in these hills. 

A court ruling in late April 2023 suggested that the Hindu Meitei people be given protected tribal status, which would allow them to purchase land and forests belonging to the hill tribes. They could also access education and government jobs reserved for the hill tribes, who traditionally have less access to employment and economic opportunities. Since the initial court ruling, violence and unrest have plagued the region resulting in hundreds of churches being burned down, villages destroyed, over 250 people dead, and tens of thousands displaced from their homes. Over the last few weeks, the violence has resurged. 

TBS has several translation and revision projects in the languages spoken by the hill tribes, including: 

How to pray for Manipur: 

• For the escalating violence to end on both sides and peace to be restored to the area.
• For safety and protection for all those affected, including the Christian hill tribes and the Meitei community, and for opportunities to share the Gospel in the region.
• For translators and revisers to faithfully and accurately undertake their work and be free from the threat of persecution and violence.
• For the publication of Gospels, New Testaments, and Bibles in these languages, both in print and online, to proceed without hindrances and error.