[Goanet] Fr Cedric Prakash...Lets learn from him!!!

[Bosco Dsouza]

* G * O * A * N * E * T  C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S *


  Sangath, www.sangath.com, is looking to build a centre for services,
  training and research and is looking to buy land of approx 1500 to
  2000 sq mtrs betweeen Mapusa and Bambolim and surrounding rural areas

If you have land to sell, please contact:

contac...@sangath.com or yvo...@sangath.com or phone +91-9881499458

http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2009-July/180028.html


The person of Fr Cedric Prakash seems to be providing readers of goanet
plenty of food for thought !!!I did a google search on him and am simply
amazed by his consistency and his commitment in his defense of human rights
of all...He is truly a Priest for our times!

Interestingly Fr Prakash was at the forefront in Relief and Rehabilitation
,when the Sikhs were killed and hounded in Delhi,after Indira Gandhi's
assassination in 1984That is almost 25years ago!

Later the Govt of India(CONGRESS!!!) awarded him the KABIR PURASKAR for his
role in promoting communal peace and harmony in Ahmedabad,after the
demolition of the Babri Masjid

And again, the Minorities Commission gave him the Minorities Rights Award
2006...this apart from several other  national and international
recognitions ..

Rajiv Desai, Santosh and your ilk ..ARE YOU LISTENING???..If not convinced
then check the blog of one Shantanu Dutta..which I paste here below..

The tile of the article is really apt for some
Cheers
Bosco!





 *Learn you bigots from Fr Cedric*

Fr Cedric Prakash is a shining example for all self and own community
servers. He has stood up both for Gujarat Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits. To
him, what matters are humans, not religion..

*CJ: *Shantanu Dutta  ,

20 Dec, 2006 00:00:00 IST

   Views:* ***

*1686*

   Comments:* *

*5*

**

INDIA’S NATIONAL COMMISSION for Minorities has chosen Cedric
Prakash,
director of the Jesuit-run Prashant Centre for Human Rights, Justice and
Peace as the 2006 recipient of its Minorities Rights Award for his work in
the area of human rights in the country.



The Jesuit priest was also honoured this year with France’s Legion of
Honourfor his action on behalf of victims of the 2002 Gujarat
massacre. Father
Prakash dedicated this prize to Aminaben Rasool, a Muslim mother who saw her
son murdered during the 2002 massacre and has not been able to find his
body. In his acceptance speech, he talked not just about the plight of the
Muslims in Gujarat, but also that of the Kashmiri Pandits, displaced in
their own land owing to internal strife.



At a time when society is increasingly polarized and caste, language,
religious and ethnic groups fight for their own rights — even under the
minority grab — it is gratifying to see someone more concerned about the
rights of other communities than own. Undoubtedly, Fr Cedric Prakash is
involved the issues of religious persecution of his Christian community in
Gujarat, but he did not get stuck there as many would possibly have done. He
acted and intervened as a humanist, not just as a priest of the Catholic
Church just shepherding his own flock.



We need more such examples of people who subsuming their own identity, look
beyond the confines of the narrow domestic walls and see the scene beyond
and react and respond appropriately. It is particularly helpful that he can
switch from being a defender of Muslims in Gujarat to being a spokesperson
for the cause of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits. It’s unfortunate that the
issue is not regarded as rights violation, but rather, has been pushed to
the realm of Hindu-Muslim subject, as pointed out by some rights watchers.



Interactions with intellectuals and activists reveal that in actual fact
neither the government nor the social organizations are sincerely trying to
restore the dignity of the Pandits who are living as refugees in their own
country.



Many years ago, December 06, 1992, when the Babri Masjid structure was
demolished, I came across a quote for the first time that I have seen many
times since. It was the experience of the Rev Martin Niemoller in 1945 when
living in Nazi Germany.



*First they came for the Communists, **
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.*

*Then they came for the Jews,**
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant. *

  *Then they came for me,*

*and** by that time there was no one**
left to speak up for me.*



Rev Martin Niemoller was protected until 1937 by both the foreign press and
influential friends in the up-scale Berlin suburb where he preached.
Eventually, he was arrested fo

Re: [Goanet] Fr Cedric Prakash...Lets learn from him!!!

[mercy4321]

* G * O * A * N * E * T  C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S *


  Sangath, www.sangath.com, is looking to build a centre for services,
  training and research and is looking to buy land of approx 1500 to
  2000 sq mtrs betweeen Mapusa and Bambolim and surrounding rural areas

If you have land to sell, please contact:

contac...@sangath.com or yvo...@sangath.com or phone +91-9881499458

http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2009-July/180028.html


Bosco, I have read about the wonderful work done by Fr. Cedric before. He is 
truly "a man for others". Thanks for forwarding the article by Shantanu Dutta. 
It is truly inspiring.
Mercy Fernandes
Dallas



-Original Message-
From: Bosco Dsouza 
To: goanet@lists.goanet.org
Sent: Sat, Jul 25, 2009 11:51 am
Subject: [Goanet] Fr Cedric Prakash...Lets learn from him!!!




 G * O * A * N * E * T  C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S *
---
  Sangath, www.sangath.com, is looking to build a centre for services,
 training and research and is looking to buy land of approx 1500 to
 2000 sq mtrs betweeen Mapusa and Bambolim and surrounding rural areas
If you have land to sell, please contact:
contac...@sangath.com or yvo...@sangath.com or phone +91-9881499458
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2009-July/180028.html
---
The person of Fr Cedric Prakash seems to be providing readers of goanet
lenty of food for thought !!!I did a google search on him and am simply
mazed by his consistency and his commitment in his defense of human rights
f all...He is truly a Priest for our times!
Interestingly Fr Prakash was at the forefront in Relief and Rehabilitation
when the Sikhs were killed and hounded in Delhi,after Indira Gandhi's
ssassination in 1984That is almost 25years ago!
Later the Govt of India(CONGRESS
!!!) awarded him the KABIR PURASKAR for his
ole in promoting communal peace and harmony in Ahmedabad,after the
emolition of the Babri Masjid
And again, the Minorities Commission gave him the Minorities Rights Award
006...this apart from several other  national and international
ecognitions ..
Rajiv Desai, Santosh and your ilk ..ARE YOU LISTENING???..If not convinced
hen check the blog of one Shantanu Dutta..which I paste here below..
The tile of the article is really apt for some
heers
osco!


 *Learn you bigots from Fr Cedric*
Fr Cedric Prakash is a shining example for all self and own community
ervers. He has stood up both for Gujarat Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits. To
im, what matters are humans, not religion..
*CJ: *Shantanu Dutta <http://www.merinews.com/cj/shantanudutta> ,
20 Dec, 2006 00:00:00 IST
   Views:* ***
*1686*
   Comments:* *
*5*
**
INDIA’S NATIONAL COMMISSION for Minorities has chosen Cedric
rakash<http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews&id=68414>,
irector of the Jesuit-run Prashant Centre for Human Rights, Justice and
eace as the 2006 recipient of its Minorities Rights Award for his work in
he area of human rights in the country.

The Jesuit priest was also honoured this year with France’s Legion of
onourfor his action on behalf of victims of the 2002 Gujarat
assacre. Father
rakash dedicated this prize to Aminaben Rasool, a Muslim mother who saw her
on murdered during the 2002 massacre and has not been able to find his
ody. In his acceptance speech, he talked not just about t
he plight of the
uslims in Gujarat, but also that of the Kashmiri Pandits, displaced in
heir own land owing to internal strife.

At a time when society is increasingly polarized and caste, language,
eligious and ethnic groups fight for their own rights — even under the
inority grab — it is gratifying to see someone more concerned about the
ights of other communities than own. Undoubtedly, Fr Cedric Prakash is
nvolved the issues of religious persecution of his Christian community in
ujarat, but he did not get stuck there as many would possibly have done. He
cted and intervened as a humanist, not just as a priest of the Catholic
hurch just shepherding his own flock.

We need more such examples of people who subsuming their own identity, look
eyond the confines of the narrow domestic walls and see the scene beyond
nd react and respond appropriately. It is particularly helpful that he can
witch from being a defender of Muslims in Gujarat to being a spokesperson
or the cause of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits. It’s unfortunate that the
ssue is not regarded as rights violation, but rather, has been pushed to
he realm of Hindu-Muslim subject, as pointed out by some righ