Archbishop meets Karnataka governor on persecution of Christians in Iraq

The delegation submitted a memorandum to the Governor.

Bangalore:  Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore along with seven other bishops of different dioceses of Karnataka met the governor urging him to request the federal government to exert pressure for ending the persecution of thousands of Christians and other minorities in Iraq, Syria and other African countries by the Islamic extremists.

The Archbishop, who is also the President of the Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops’ Council (KRCBC) and All Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights (AKUCFHR), was accompanied by the Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza of Mangalore, Bishop Peter Machado of Belgaum, Bishop Mar Joseph Arumachadath of Bhadravathi, Bishop Thomasappa Anthony Swamy of Chikamangalur, Bishop Derek Fernandes of Karwar and Bishop Thomas Antony Vazhapilly of Mysore for the meeting yesterday.

The delegation submitted a memorandum to the Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala to be forwarded to President Pranab Mukkherjee, expressing concern and anguish at the plight of the Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Syria.

The memorandum stated that as per unofficial estimates about 170,000 people have already been killed by the Islamic militants.

"We strongly feel that the problem in Iraq is caused by a misunderstanding of Islam, those who propagate the holocaust are actually unaware of the true Islam and Quran’s teachings," the memorandum said.

It was unfortunate that the Christians and also the other communities in India have maintained a silence regarding the persecution of innocent children, men and women in Iraq, which is by itself violence in silence, it said.

“When we see violence and remain as silent spectators, our silence is also an equally condemnable violence and injustice against humanity, if we do not raise our voice against such barbaric acts. Hence, we have urged one and all to raise their voices, or be ready to accept the blame that they are also a part of the violence by their silence,” the memorandum said.

The Archbishop and the delegation of Bishops informed the Governor of the fast and prayers observed by the Christians of various denominations in Bangalore and other places in Karnataka on Sep. 12, and also a mass rally and prayers at the St Joseph’s Indian High School Grounds on Sep. 14, which was observed as a “Black Sunday” to express solidarity with the suffering people.

Source: Daijiworld