Catholic body to seek Prez intervention after silent peace rally on Aug 5 in city

Shillong, Aug 3: The Catholic Association of Shillong affiliated to All India Catholic Union has decided to petition the President of India on Manipur issue after a peace really in the city to be held on August 5.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the president of the Association, JA Lyngdoh has appealed to the citizens to join in the silent peace rally with a “call to end the ethnic violence in Manipur”.

The peace rally will start from ‘Madan  Iewrynghep at 10 am and will proceed through the Laitumkhrah main road towards Don Bosco Square.

Thereafter, the rally will assemble at the Don Bosco Mini Stadium to offer prayers for peace in Manipur.

Following the peace rally, a memorandum will be addressed to the President calling for her immediate attention to the prolonged ethnic violence in Manipur.

The memorandum will be submitted through  Meghalaya governor.

“We would also appeal to her to send adequate peace keeping forces so that the people of Manipur can feel confident to go back to their homes and work places”, Lyngdoh said.

No negative messages on placards

“The peace rally is open to all peace-loving citizens of the country, but we request all participants to restrain from carrying placards, banners, that may carry provocative messages or condemnations. We will also not allow any inflammatory slogans during the rally, the association’s finance secretary Beedarous Shylla said.

Parking arrangements 

Those attending the peace pally, can park their vehicle in (i) St. Edmund’s School compound (ii) St. Edmunds College compound (iii) Mareau Institute of Integral Training (MIIT), Holy Cross fathers, Brookdene (iv) Loreto School Compound (v) Cathedral Compound (football ground and main ground), (vi) Christ King College (vii) St. Anthony’s College, Shillong (viii) St. Mary’s Compound (ix) St. Margaret’s school compound etc. And any other available spaces on the road side that may be permitted by the traffic police.

Three months and a very long wait for justice

Three months have elapsed since the first reported ethnic violence in  Manipur.

According to the Catholic body, more than 50,000 people have been rendered homeless, more than 10,000 homes and dwelling places have been pillaged and razed to the ground, more than 500 places of worship have been desecrated and destroyed. Hundreds of lives have been lost as a result of the inhuman and barbaric act of merciless killing of the innocent and defenceless. The vulnerable like the sick, elderly, children and women were not even spared. Women were groped, paraded naked and raped in full public view, the association said.

It said ethnic violence is not new in the Northeastern states of the country but the magnitude and scale of the May 3 ethnic violence in Manipur has surpassed them all.

“We have prayed for peace and calmness in the midst of all these violence. We had collected donations which were routed through NGOs and voluntary bodies-for aid to the victims and those still living in the camps”, the association said.

“But the time has come, when we cannot be mere spectators. We have to speak out against intolerance, hatred, bigotry and senseless destruction of dwellings and property and the hunt for human lives.We have all been created in the likeness of God and have learned to live as brothers and sisters for centuries. Let us not be misguided by those who have blood in their hands. Let us respect human dignity and try to live in peace with our neighbour. Hatred and violence will only bring endless destruction and sorrow. We therefore, call upon all the divergent ethnic groups in Manipur to come together and to discuss a way out of these dilemmas. Let the leaders meet and start the dialogue. This we believe will be a new beginning. We need peace and we want peace”, said the statement of the catholic body.