Nun abduction bid
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Catholic Church in Garo Hills has decided to shut church-run institutions for a day on Friday in protest against the attack on Sister Rose Kayathinkara at Mendipathar, East Garo Hills on Sunday.
Schools, colleges and other institutions run by the Catholic Church in Garo Hills will remain closed on Friday.
The Catholic Church will also observe June 3 as a day of prayer for peace and harmony in all parishes in Garo Hills.
The Bishop of Tura, Rev. Andrew R. Marak said that in the wake of an attempted abduction of Sr. Rose by some miscreants, the officials of the Catholic church held a high-level emergency meeting at the Bishop’s House and strongly condemned the barbaric and heinous attack on women missionaries.
“Such a cowardly attack on the missionary nuns, who are highly revered for their selfless service to humanity, has shocked the people of Garo Hills, and the women flock in particular,” the Bishop said.
Sr. Rose and her congregation have been at the forefront of social service and uplift of the health scenario since the early part of 1970s rendering yeoman service for the downtrodden, the Bishop said.
Sr. Rose helped to transform the economy of the people of the Mendipather region and was a pioneer of the co-operative movement in Garo Hills. She encouraged the indigenous people to go for rubber plantations which has since changed the scenario of the region and improved the quality of their life, the Bishop added.
“Her dedicated service for the people was recognized in 2011 when Meghalaya Government conferred the Pa Togan Nengminza award which is the highest civilian award for social service,” the Bishop said.
He also said that the attempt to kidnap a missionary nun by criminals has cast a spell of gloom on all sections of society, particularly the Roman Catholic church.
“The church in its strongest terms condemns such dastardly acts by vested interest groups and vows not to succumb to such intimidating tactics but continue relentlessly with the same zeal to serve humanity in the spirit of Jesus Christ,” the Bishop said.
The Church, also asked all those groups to refrain from such destructive activities that harm institutions serving humanity, promoting peace, love and brotherhood.
The NCP State unit has also expressed deep concern over assault on the nuns.
“We condemn this incident and request the Government to take swift action against the perpetrators and also ensure adequate security for Sr. Rose,” NCP spokesperson James Sangma, said in a statement on Wednesday.
Several NGOs and church leaders of Resubelpara and Mendipathar, representing the United Christian Peace Forum (UCPF), Peace Coordination Committee (PCC), Town Peace Committee (TPC), GSU, FAF, Mother’s Union, Assam & Meghalaya Joint Peace Committee (AMPC), along with social activists of the area have strongly condemned the dastardly crime committed against two nuns at Mendipathar in East Garo Hills, our Tura Correspondent adds.
The NGOs said that the heinous crime perpetrated by the assailants against the two elderly nuns is most unacceptable and is in total violation of the Garo Culture that has reverential respect for people who devote their lives for humanity in general and for women in particular.
The members of the NGOs called upon the State Government and the District Administration to spare no pain in apprehending the culprits and mete out exemplary punishment to the guilty so that such incidents are not repeated in the region.
“We will extend all assistance to the law enforcing agencies for speedy capture of the assailants whose identity is yet to be ascertained” said Khanin D Momin, Secretary of PCC, Resubelpara.