By Matters India Reporter
Shillong, April 5, 2020: An organization representing all Christian denominations in northeastern India has appealed for a united fight against coronavirus pandemic.
The Joint Peace Mission Team on April 2 met at the headquarters of the Northeast India Christian Council at Shillong to discuss the latest trends in the country.
“Though there was no sense of alarm in the assembly, there was a tone of caution in the entire discussions,” says a press release from the team’s spokesperson Allen Brooks.
The team appealed people of all communities to refrain from making “distinctions” based on rumors and baseless apprehensions at a time when the country battles the covid-19.
According to Brooks, crises like coronavirus make all differences based on caste, creed, community disappear. “It is very important we make no distinctions based on rumors, baseless fears, or the mistakes of some individuals,” the statement adds.
The church body further urges all religious communities to collaborate with government authorities to ensure implementation of the safety norms recommended to curb the spread of the virus, which has already taken a heavy toll across the country and world.
“While we strictly adhere to the rules of social distancing, we preserve social relationships through mutual concern, helpfulness, phone calls, social media, or in other ways. Some individuals may suffer seriously if they do not have such type of assistances and interactions. We need to be human at every stage,” Brooks expalins.
The spokesperson urges people to avoid hasty criticism and look forward to “truthful information” with regard to the real state of affairs and the level of preparedness from concerned authorities. “This would prevent the circulation of unverified news and unfounded fears. We continuously need the encouragement of each other,” he adds.
The Church team expressed its gratitude to doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel engaged in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
“We are also grateful to all those who are keeping the essential services going in the face of enormous odds. We need everyone’s cooperation to keep the basic machinery of the nation functioning,” Brooks adds.
Bishop Thomas Pulloppilil of Bongaigaon , president of the United Christian Forum of Northeast, welcomed the representatives of all seven states of the region. The Catholic prelate commended their “great eagerness to learn of the latest developments in the country and make their own evaluation of the situation.”
Retired Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, who initiated the discussion, urged the participants to be open for dialogue. He pointed out that in a democracy, all citizens fully cooperate with the elected government and readily offer suggestions for the betterment of society.
However, he insisted that as responsible citizens “we have a right and a duty to offer well thought out criticisms to the government of their policies and their governance and styles. If we fail to do so we are letting down our nation,” the Salesian prelate added.
He also sounded alarm at the economic slowdown caused by the lockdown that to be addressed by the best talent in the country independently. Archbishop Menamparampil observed a general feeling that the country promotes unproductive programs that promote ideological goals.
Roger Gaikwad of the Church of North India stressed the importance of attending to the grievances of Dalit and tribal communities who feel increasingly marginalized.