|
Peace, justice,
love and harmony are the core teaching of all faiths. But today religions are
used and misused for selfish gain which creates hatred, tension and conflict
among different religious groups. The North East India is clouded by many
insurgency movements. Armed culture among the young people is on rise.
Killings of innocent lives, economic blockage, bandh calls become everyday
affairs. Life is under threat. It affects all life. The root causes of violence
need to be addressed. One religious group cannot solve the ongoing conflict
among different religious persuasion and ethnic groups. Interfaith peace
coalition in collaboration with civil society is imperative and only option.
Therefore the interfaith roundtable was organized with the objectives to build
trust and confidence among people of different faiths, ethnic groups, and
ideologies; motivate deepen pluri-faith life affirming spirituality at grass
root levels; enhance leadership capacity skills for peace making and explore
ways and means of inter-faith coalition for peace. As expected many participants
found beneficial and some expressed surprise and shock to learn that the need of
interfaith coalition for peace and justice is the need of the hour.
The Interfaith
Roundtable on Peace and Justice, Faith and Culture, jointly organized by the
Interfaith Coalition for Peace and the National Council of Churches in India,
was held at Bosco Reach Out Conference Centre, Ulubari, Guwahati from 9-10
September 2010. Altogether 25 participants attended the Roundtable. They came
from different religious backgrounds: there were Hindus, Jain, Muslim, Gandhian
and Christians. Mr. Natwar Thakkar, Founding Member of the Nagaland Gandhi
Ashram was the Chief Guest.
Before the
inaugural address, Ms. Binita Devi, a teacher from a Girls Higher Secondary
School, Beltola presented a special number called a Song of Unity composed from
all religions which is appreciated and welcome by all participants.
Mr. Natwar’s
address was challenging and thought-provoking. Quoting Vinoba Bhave, he said the
age of politics and religion is over and behold this is the age of science and
technology. He also said the worst kind of inhumanity is perpetuated in the
name of religion. There have been crusades, burning of martyrs, attacks by
armies done in the name of religion. What is needed now is to bring unity.
Apart from global warming and climate change, the most serious thing for mankind
is terrorism. He also mentioned about the plan to burn the Holy Qu’ran on 9/11
from Florida, USA by Pastor Jerry Jones of Florida. One thing that is important
is that we need to continue interfaith dialogue he reiterated. Such forum helps
to understanding one another’s’ religions which will bring peaceful coexistence.
Live and let live, respect for all religions is the only means to bring peace.
He finally said that if we have to promote religion, in the truest sense, then
the best definition is God is Love. If we follow that promotion of love, then we
can bring people to our Creator because God’s essential character is love.
The Keynote address
was given by the Rev. Fr. Dr. Pakiam Samuel, Secretary, Interfaith Coalition for
Peace. In his keynote address he mentioned the Christian response to burning of
the Holy Qu’ran at New York on 9/11 by some Christians. The person who said this
emphasized that Jesus is the only way. But Jesus is the way who shows other
ways. As a Christian he faced the challenge of other religions. Questions like
why other religions exist? Why Christianity should win other religions? How do
we respond as a Christian? The pastor at Florida thinks that Christianity id
superior. We try to compare other religions. When we compare religions, it can
become the root cause of conflict. Salvation is only through Christ, the
Catholic Church with the exception of the Orthodox Church. In his theological
journey, Pakiam found new questions and new answers discovered. He also said
what happens locally is known globally. Being a student of religions he has
been corrected and challenged. God is a holy mystery. There is no figure for
GOD. He has no attributes to God because he smells without a nose. Qu’ran is
the ‘breathe of God’ or the life of God. So what will happen is the Qu’ran is
burnt? GOD is a connecting person, higher being, connecting presence. God is
love. This is what every religion must speak about. Finally, he said today if
you want to be religious, one has to be inter-religious and it is challenging.
He also mentioned that living with interfaith is celebrating diversity.
The questions
discussed in the group were basically the issues of peace and justice, faith and
culture. Questions such as what are the issues of peace and justice in North
East India? In what way faith and culture become source of conflicts? After the
group reporting there were times for open reflection on the group discussion.
One of the participants says fear of being a minority is the reason why we look
for numbers. When we feel small and privileges are not given due to minority,
then we ultimately join in then game of increasing numbers which is connected
with our own agendas. This is realistic and it’s a matter for discussion but
who will take the lead is a big question. In order to have peace and justice,
proper understanding of spirituality, value systems, religious sentiments, and
respect for other religions are of prime importance. Peace is a way of life
which needs to be supported by civil society. The ideology of live and let live
can bring peace and harmony in the society. However, to create for peaceful
coexistence is extremely difficult. Peace is the greatest issue today. It was
also expressed that we need to propagate respect for other religions in our work
place, family and institutions. We need to convert ourselves – change our
attitudes towards other religions. It was also shared that religion acted as a
source of conflict but no religion started by violence. Often we think
politicians are the source of conflicts. But not all the politicians are against
peace. Persons like M. K. Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King were all
for peace. We need to produce such politicians for peace in North east India.
We need to give a new orientation about religion and politics because few people
can change the world and it is often found that the majority never change the
world.
As the outcome of
the roundtable, it was decided to form “North East India Interfaith Forum.” The
Rev. Ms. Awala Longkumer is unanimously chosen to be the convener for this forum
and that this interfaith forum will meet at least once or twice in a year. The
Statement and Recommendation Committee was convened by the Rev. Fr. Tom
Mangatthuthazhe and it is enclosed here below.
The Statement
Religious leaders
of Major Religions from different parts of NEIndia came together for the
Interfaith Roundtable conference on Peace and Justice, Faith and Culture from
September 9 to 10 at Guwahati. The initiative was taken by Interfaith Coalition
for Peace (ICP) New Delhi and National Council of Churches in India (NCCI),
based at Nagpur
The participants
were unanimous of the opinion that various religious traditions can become
promoters of peace in N.E India. We make the following declaration:
· The
spirituality of various religious traditions can cultivate such practices that
aim at the realization of genuine peace individually and collectively.
· The
ethical systems of religious traditions such as human rights, justice,
compassion for the poor, care for the environment and commitment to nonviolence
are platforms for greater interfaith commitment and action.
· Social
infra-structures and structures of religions do provide greater potential for
communication of peace building activities.
· Cultural
expressions of religions are assets of humanity and the celebration of diversity
can ensure peaceful coexistence.
Recommendations
1. We
as religious leaders resolve to emphasize and nurture the spiritual resources in
our individual traditions to promote peace in the region.
2. We
appeal to all religious leaders and followers to address social problems through
peaceful means transforming situations of conflicts to opportunities for
dialogue and cooperation.
3. We
request our governments, policy makers and the politicians to promote policies
and decisions to further peaceful coexistence.
4. We
appeal to media groups and individuals to promote peace journalism and
discourage voices of violence.
5. We
also appeal to the politicians not to use religious sentiments as means for
their political advantages.
6. We
resolve to call Interfaith Guwahati meeting at least twice in year.
7. We
express our anguish and appeal to all concerned groups and individuals not to
show disrespect to any religious text, such as burning of Qu’ran on September
11, 2010. Such incident can flare up extreme sentiments of religious
intolerance and violence.
8. Conversion
should be voluntary and personal and should not be imposed or lured on people.
Solomon Rongpi
Executive
Secretary, Unity, Mission & Evangelism
National Council
of Churches in India.
|
Home
