SAR News Sep.23, 2002 Bangalore: SAR News
The All India Catholic Union (AICU) national president, Dr. Maria Emilia Menezes, and vice-president, Mr.. John Dayal, September 14 appealed to the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, to intervene directly to save the historic Church of the Springs on the Island of Anjedeva, off the coast of Karwar in Karnataka State. In a statement released in Panaji, Goa, the Christian leaders said the Island Church would be put out of bounds to the faithful from May 2003 because of the new Indian Navy base being built in the area. It further said that "the church is of international historicity and an important component of our national, plural cultural heritage. It has a deep emotional appeal for the Christians of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka, and particularly for the Catholic community of the entire Western Coast for whom the prayer sessions twice a year are an important part of their religious calendar." The Catholic Union reaffirmed that the Church and the worshippers were not a threat to national security. "Christians serve with great distinction in the Defence forces and many have made the supreme sacrifice defending its territorial integrity. We urge the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister to request the Navy to make suitable arrangements so that religious services, which have been carried on for centuries, are not interrupted," the statement said. The AICU, which met in a two-day annual general meeting in Panaji last week, also took notice of the situation in Goa and its impact on the Christian community and other minorities. In this context, the AICU expressed its concern at the decline in numbers of Catholic youth being recruited to various ranks of the Goa Police department. Some northern States, including Punjab and Haryana, have also been guilty of ignoring the Christian community in Government employment, particularly in gazetted ranks, the Union said. "Unless checked urgently and the trend reversed, this decline in jobs for the minorities, particularly in administrative and police forces, can lead to the rapid disempowerment of the community." The AICU noted that the Supreme Court has agreed that "education of religions has to be differentiated from religious education imparted in minority educational institutions." The Catholic Union said it has always held that children must know about all religions in a manner that expands their understanding of our plural heritage. "We hope that the Central Government as well as State Governments and their educational structures will follow the Supreme Court ruling." The Catholic Union called upon the State Governments and educational institutions to ensure that textbooks are reviewed for their content, "which distorts the history of religions and their teachings, or otherwise demonises some religions." END =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead !
