All India Catholic Union urges for peace in violence-hit Manipur

Urging for peace in Manipur, the All-India Catholic Union (AICU) on Sunday, said it is deeply distressed by the massive loss of life in the country’s north-eastern State in the widespread violence which has apparently taken both the Central and State governments by surprise.

“The government must at the earliest set up a judicial commission headed by a serving or retired judge of the Supreme Court of India to go into the causes of the violence,” said Elias Vaz, AICU National President.

“The Catholic Union firmly believes human life is precious, no place of worship should be torched or demolished, and no family should be rendered homeless. The Union is deeply pained at the large number of churches and institutions of various denominations that have been destroyed by mobs. At last count, the number was over 40. This makes the Manipur violence the second largest this century after the massacre in Kandhamal, Orissa, in 2008,” stated the AICU having its head office in Panjim.

“The instant need is to restore peace in the Imphal valley and nearby districts, so that thousands of people rendered homeless in the arson or others, who have fled their villages, can return home. The All-India Catholic Union calls upon the Central and state governments to consolidate peace and take action against those who seek to make political capital in human tragedy,” Vaz added.

“A parallel peace process must also be initiated involving the people, and by bringing antagonistic ethnic and religious groups to a discussion table. Stable peace can come if fears of the people are ameliorated, and the constitutional and traditional solution that respects the rights and interests of all parties is followed. The AICU has also called upon its members to pray that the rights of peoples are respected. The Catholic Union also calls upon all people of faith to hold group and joint prayers of peace,” said Vaz.

The AICU further pointed out that from available media reports and eyewitness accounts, it would seem that shoot at sight orders by the Governor, and flag marches by the army have been of no avail.

“The failure of the intelligence system, the law-and-order machinery has been compounded by an absence of political processes to resolve the deep distrust between ethnic communities,” said Vaz.

“Vested political interests, who had been working quite openly in recent times polarising ethnic groups with their rhetoric, have aggravated the situation by now giving it a communal colour. They are now gleefully exploiting the distrust and violence to further their electoral agenda,” the AICU added.

“The AICU emphasises that India can progress when its citizens live in peace and harmony. We must stand up for values of equality and justice to help build a society where everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their race, religion, or ethnicity. The AICU emphasises that India can progress when its citizens live in peace and harmony. We must stand up for values of equality and justice to help build a society where everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their race, religion, or ethnicity,” Vaz concluded