SHILLONG/TURA: The Friends of the Jesuits, Shillong along with the Catholic community of the state has approached Chief Minister Conrad Sangma expressing dismay at the utter silence of the Meghalaya Government on the arrest of Fr. Stan Swamy who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on October 8.
In a letter addressed to the chief minister, Dr. M. Kharbithai, Coordinator, Friends of the Jesuits, Shillong, spoke about the overall fear psychosis being created among Christians, Tribals, Dalits and other marginalised groups across the country by the arrest of a renowned priest.
“We appeal and urge upon you to kindly express solidarity with Fr. Stan and to let the Prime Minister know about the shock and anguish of the people of Meghalaya. May we also request you to kindly express strong appeal to the Government of India to immediately release Fr. Stan Swami on humanitarian ground and squash away all the charges framed against him,” the letter said.
GH rises in solidarity
The arrest of the 83-year-old Jesuit priest has shocked and angered citizens across Garo Hills who held a protest demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Fr. Stan Swamy.
The anger among many citizens is directed against the BJP party and its government that currently is in power at the Centre.
Shocked by the treatment carried out against an octogenarian priest who has worked tirelessly for the upliftment of poor tribals and protection of their land in Jharkhand for thirty long years, citizens of Williamnagar town responded to the call for a solidarity gathering ) at the Loyola College ground in Williamnagar on Friday evening.
Members of the public alongside religious heads of several denominations took part in the solidarity event demanding the release of Fr Stan. They offered prayers and lit candles.
Swamy belongs to the Society of Jesus (SJ), a religious order of the Catholic Church which is renowned in India and the world over for providing quality education for the weaker sections of society. Their schools and colleges, named after their founder St. Ignatius of Loyola, can be found across the globe including in Williamnagar where the Jesuits run a successful school and college.
“We have gathered here in Solidarity with Fr. Stan Swamy SJ who was taken into custody on October 8 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for alleged Maoist links. Fr Stan who is 83 years old and in poor health has laboured for the marginalised, downtrodden and other vulnerable indigenous people in Jharkhand for several decades,” reminded Loyola College Principal Fr Sunny Augustine (SJ) while addressing the gathering at the Rongrenggre field.
Among those who participated at the solidarity event included advocate Chalang Artiush Ch Marak, President of the Garo Hills Catholic Union and President of Northeast Legal Fraternity, Mr. Ronal Brian, General Secretary of the A’chik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM), Mr. Kroshnil D Sangma, writer and chairman of the District Multipurpose Socio Economic Development Organization, Pastor Traister D Shira of Bolkinggre Baptist Church, representatives from prominent civil society organizations, heads of institutions, fathers, sisters, Loyola College alumni and its staff and students.
Recalling the works of the Jesuits in the field of education, caring and defending the rights of the poor and the vulnerable all over the world, Fr Augustine said, “together with our people of Garo Hills, we stand in solidarity with Fr. Stan and other human rights defenders in India. We strongly condemn the arrest and demand his immediate release. We seek an end to arbitrary arrests of innocent law abiding citizens.”