My God my God, why have THEY forsaken us? – A reflection on Manipur
I am on a two-year sabbatical; that is a privilege considering the shortage of priests in the Archdiocese of Mumbai. It would seem that every hand should be on the deck and here I am, away in Goa. While my compulsions of health and ideological issues have forced me to take time off, the “fire within me” does not seem to burn out. God, it seems, won’t let me go even though my Archbishop so kindly did. So, it is with fear and trepidation I write my thoughts while entrusting my life to being HIS disciple who spoke his mind.
Everything within me tells me to shut up and sit back and take my sabbatical easy but then there is this ‘Jeremiah moment’ that I seem to be experiencing all of this week. What is that you ask? I echo the sentiments of the prophet Jeremiah, not that I am even a far cry to who or what he was but that ‘Jeremiah moment’ resounds loudly. Jeremiah 20:9 says, “If I say, “I will not mention him (God), or speak any more in his name, then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I am weary with holding it in and I cannot.” So here goes…..
Manipur has burnt for more than 60 days. There is now enough evidence to point to the complicity of silence, if not more, of the powers that be; both federally and locally. Government officials have now told us that at least 500,000 pieces of ammunition, including grenades and mortars, and around 3,500 weapons were stolen in the riot-hit state and that too from the police armoury; that itself, as one commentator stated, is reason to file charges of sedition. These were most obviously put in the hands of those who have been given the mandate to terrorize the tribals of Manipur, many, if not most of whom, are Christians.
The Archbishop of Imphal has gone on record to state that more than 349 churches in the state were burnt within 36 hours of the violence erupting. That is not coincidence, that is a well-planned and coordinated attack. Fr Matthew Fernandes, director, NERSC, in an interview with Karan Thapar clearly indicated that churches in little know areas in the forests were targeted? How could city boys on motorbikes know where to go and what to target? This is the Gujarat model now being unleashed on Christians in Manipur and a model I suspect which is being perfected for other states too.
But is this too much to read all at once? Not at all. We have had enough of wrapping murder and violence in pretty bows of secularistic jargon and social niceties. It is time to call the failure of the Manipur government what it actually is, state sponsored ethnic cleansing. Which federal system allows an incompetent state government to continue in power sixty plus days into riots and looting and with what seems to be the clear intent to drive out the tribal Christians from their homes in forest? How does India’s first tribal President continue to keep her constitutional post in ceremonial splendour when her tribal people continue to suffer? Why has she not gone to them when they came to her at Rashtrapati Bhavan?
But why throw stones so far? Today, (July 2nd, 2023) the president of the CBCI, Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur, president of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (CBCI), has directed Catholics throughout the country to observe this day as a day of prayer for peace in Manipur. Seriously Your Grace? More than sixty days after our brothers and sisters have been murdered, terrorized and displaced, all we can do is issue an appeal for prayer? Make no mistake, I am not undermining or diminishing the power of prayer, I am questioning the collective conscience of the Bishops of India and even more their collective silence. Why did the office bearers of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (CBCI) not go hat in hand and camp themselves outside the Prime Minister’s office and demand no less for his silence to be broken?
This is the same prime minister who stood in White House just a week back and said, “democracy is in India’s DNA, it is in India’s spirit, in its blood, the democratic Indian government works on the basis of a democratic Indian Constitution, and if there are no human values, no humanity, no human rights, there is no democracy.” Really Modiji? Then why have you not uttered a word about the situation in Manipur or has that just become your style; to speak up too late? Is this but not tacit approval to those with vested agendas to continue the mayhem they have begun? The PM did not bat an eyelid when he spoke on foreign soil, in Australia to be precise, on the attacks on temples in that country; but not a word even when 349 churches were burnt and attacked in your own country and that too in one tiny state?
But to the many Christians who are reading this article, nodding their head in agreement, let me pick a stone for you too before you throw many at me in a series of questions that have come to be known as the ‘whataboutry’ form of evasion of the real issues at hand. Why are you silent while our brothers and sisters die in Manipur? Were you not educated by the Church whom you ought to defend? Why are you waiting for the hierarchy of the Church to speak up? Why have you relegated your role as voices of conscience to those who will not speak because they have ‘their compulsions?” How many Catholics have flooded face book and social media with their protests about the situation in Manipur as much as they have with the events of joy and blessedness in their lives (read your recent holiday or party)?
Ironically, I have reposted two or three articles on this matter on Facebook. Believe you me, not one like, not one share, not one comment as of this morning. I wonder if Facebook has received instructions to make sure that these post never get any likes. But what I fear more is the silence of this nation and in particular of the Christian community who have now begun to fear reprisal from government for speaking up for democracy. So much for a democratic nation!
I guess today I will lose friends on both sides of the aisle. The government for sure will not see this article as fair criticism. Today, to criticise the government makes you anti-national. It is more likely that you will go to jail for writing an article critical of the government but not for burning a Church. But I also suspect I will have lost friends in the Church because I dared to question their silence. The Gospel of today is emphatic, to be a disciple one has to put everything else in second place and embrace the cross of Christ. The fire burns in my bones!
Perhaps many may question why I speak just for my faith, my community; why not for all who suffer as we rightfully ought to each time violence breaks out. Let me make no apology for speaking for the underdog of the moment. The majority it seems, have the backing of government.
Christ bleeds on the cross; for the persecutors and the persecuted. Today, the people of Manipur, suffering with our Lord on the cross have this to say, “ My God, My God why have THEY forsaken us? “
Fr. Warner D'Souza is a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Bombay. He has served in the parishes of St Michael's (Mahim), St Paul's (Dadar East), Our Lady of Mount Carmel, (Bandra), a ten year stint as priest-in-charge at St Jude Church (Malad East) and at present is the Parish Priest at St Stephen's Church (Cumballa Hill). He is also the Director of the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum and is the co-ordinator of the Committee for the Promotion and Preservation of the Artistic and Historic Patrimony of the Church.
Very sad state of affairs. Silence in the face of persecution is not Christian at all. Thanks Fr. For your courage.
Soooo true and thought provoking…😰
Fr.Warner…you truly hit the nail on the head 👌🏻
Your questions have to be answered by those in power… THAT will be the turning point 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Just read your article. Fr Warner, the whole World knows Manipur is bleeding.You are the right hand of the Archdiocese of Mumbai the Cardinals & Bishops, who are link to the Pope Francis looking forward to One World Order. Why SILENT. Pope Francis cnt talk to PM.
The gateway to entering into a fruitful joyful discipleship relationship with Him is to “DENY YOURSELF”. Matthew 16:24–26 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Fr.Warner, you are a PRIEST forever..you also fought corruption of priest in the Archdiocese. We know you are on Sabbatical leave, are u afraid of your FLESH. Die for Christ.. Write about the RESOLUTION and NOT PROBLEM. come out of your zone, you have a big followers..
I get your frustration perhaps even with me. But I do not think you are entirely justified knowing my track record to suggest that I am afraid of my flesh. If I was then then the many social causes I spearheaded would not have resulted in my transfer. Dont shoot the messenger or else you will have not even have a message
Thank you Father for this courageous message and passing on this burning torch of God’s desire for justice in our hearts…it is indeed sad on our paths that we choose to look the other way for fear of our own safety….may God grant us all the grace to stand up for injustice towards his people and humanity.🙏
All that you said is true, Fr. Warner. I don’t know what I could do for the suffering people of Manipur, besides praying for them and contributing financially to Caritas. Does holding a rally of protest really help? I for one, don’t have the following to lead a protest march. I look to our civil leaders or priests to do that and then join in.Maybe you led your parishioners in Mumbai. After reading your article, am feeling uneasy.
As brought out by you Fr. Warner, it is a truly sad state of affairs and shameful for us who haven’t done a thing to protest, to express our outrage or even to post our displeasure on social media platforms ..
Don’t you think, we all ( the Christians in India ) need to be emboldened to stand up against such dastardly and large scale acts of violence against our community ??
But why, ?? I must point out that tha Supreme Court has been nudged by a body of the tribals and surprisingly there is SILENCE THERE TOO..
Can no one stop this nonsense ?? Or is it that the other arms of our constitution are impotent ?? or should it be called complicit or playing safe for saving their own skin.
This should have been a clear case of actually confronting the Government by the Courts and even causing a constitutional crisis if needed..
Surely, neither is our community as bold and as determined as the farmers who went on and on with their agitation that finally bore fruit..
Worst is that the Govts of America, Australia etc are holding Our PM on a pedestal in their own country..
One may not have noticed that an elaborate and cleverly incentivised arrangement is made in advance by our Govt for giving the impression that the Indian Diaspora ( Devilspora ) is fully supporting Our Murderer in Chief with sloganeering by a massive gathering ..so much so that the heads of those Govts abroad I think were dumbfounded at these extravagant shows. So much more to say..
The Press being gagged as also the Courts, and even the BBC, Twitter have faced the Govts music for being forthright. That should have sufficed to infer that there is suppression of facts..
We are heading for disaster if we do not do what Karnataka just did…. Unending..
i fully support your opinion in this article. i have made similar comments on ucanews.
it is SHAMEFUL that the leaders of the church are SILENT. is their silence a favour to the modi govt, as they have been embroiled in scandals themselves and fear the ed will be at their door if they squeak?
most of the christians/catholics in india/goa are interested in the traditions of the church and NOT in the essence of christ’s teachings. they think they are westernised because the way they dress and that christianity is a western religion. for this i BLAME the church for churning out DUMB SHEEP. besides western clothing, dance and eating beef/pork, NOTHING separates them from the hindu community. it is BECAUSE OF THE GOODWILL OF SOME IN THE HINDU COMMUNITY, that christians enjoy the privileges to follow their religion. that goodwill is slowly turning around due to the daily hatred speeches and actions of the bjp central and state govts, with the help of criminal elements and the corrupt police. manipur/gujarat scenes could be next in goa, where the state bjp govt is instigating the local hindus with absurd slogans, just to hide their CORRUPTION, while the SHAMELESS BJP SUPPORTING CHRISTIAN MLAS ARE SILENT, THEIR SILENCE IS IN RETURN FOR THE BRIBES THEY RECEIVED FROM THE BJP GOVT AND THAT THEIR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES NOT BE INVESTIGATED.
christians need to understand the ESSENCE in the teachings of christ and DEFEND IT AGAINST ALLEGATIONS. DO NOT WAIT FOR THE CHURCH LEADERS.
Fr Warner,
What can I do? Besides anguish, and prayers and some donations, what?
This morning I thought I would find something useful to do for the displaced in Manipur. The day is coming to an end, and except for this comment I have not found anything useful to do.
Ehrlich Desa
I want to ponder on that beautiful scripture from Acts of the Apostles, where St Paul is taken into custody, and the very next action of the Church then was fervant prayer for him and we all know the results.
We have waited too long.
A collection of provisions, toiletries, old clothes, mats, etc. for the displaced people of Manipur is being taken at Malad by Sr. Martha Mondal
+91 99305 88635.
for those who are seeking to help the people of manipur: i would request you to
contribute to caritas
bring this topic during the prayers of the faithful during mass
speak to you parish priest to organise a silent procession around the church and get the media to record it
write individually or sign joint petitions to the parish priests/bishops/newspapers/politicians/ pm/president/supreme court.
the govt is copying the british agenda….DIVIDE AND RULE!! YOU COULD BE TARGETED NEXT IF YOU DONT DO ANYTHING.
With elections round the corner, this is the perfect time for the ruling party to appease Hindus. But it’s also the right time for us Christians to step out in large nos and vote out these parties with a communal agenda. Most of these ungrateful guys and their kids have passed out from Christian schools and colleges. But they have absolutely no respect for the Christian community now. Throw them out of power and get them on their knees. Wish Manipur voters had done the same.
Like other christian countries you have people (minorities} non christians involved in the Ruling dispensation, why does no Indian clegery man make a representation in the Government? we have other Minorites representation in the ruling dispensation. but not a single Christian why? I remember in one of the debates the spokesperson of the BJP said “Instead or writing letters and going with candles, why don’t you contest election and make your presence felt in the country, like other minorities? he was refering to the Muslim community. Do you think that If one little mosque was brought down the muslim community would write letters? the nation would Burn. that is how much they value their faith. Its hightime we pickup the sword as christ has said in Luke22:36
Fr. Warner,
Indeed true, but The Catholic Church, being the Richest organisation in the World, why can we not use the services of professional Security at the churches, and SHOOT TO KILL orders officially and legally… Please don’t expect response from Catholics, they are in deep Slumber, many a times I have tried to wake them up, no success. All the very best Fr. Warner
Factually the Catholic Church is not the richest. The Catholic Church has assets over the last 2000 years that account for a lot. I can’t see selling the Vatican musuem a wise decision. I don’t expect everyone to react or respond. Climate change, real as it is has not got the attention of all but those who take it seriously have been making a difference. The same should be applied to the laity . Thank you for responding
Fr. When this incident took place I was restless but wanted to do something about it, but didn’t knew what to do and how to go about it. I got some ideas from the comments that I read.
How to go about with signing a joint petition, how will it work? Once done what next?
Thank you Fr Warner for taking this brave step which many of us can’t or will not. May your voice be heard and the ears of those who need to take heed, be opened. May the leaders in India unite to put an end to these atrocities. And may world leader voice their condemnation. May Gods protection be over you and the people of Manipur.
Dear Fr. Warner,
Praise and thanking the Most High for your boldness and courage in responding to the atrocities being meted out on the Christian people of Manipur and your courage on other issues as well. In today’s cancel culture you have taken the bull by the horns and we pray that with the armour of grace you can withstand any backlash. We continue with our prayers and hope and pray the powers that be see the light.
Thank you Fr. Warner for having the courage to speak up. The only Priest who spoke up boldly was Fr. Matthew to Karan Thapar. As lay people what we can do is very little. But the Cardinals and Bishops in authority can take this up not only with the Government but also bring the truth out internationally. And yet I really wonder why are they silent??
Agree with you Fr. Warner we Christians are in deep slumber.
After the terrorist attack on Pakistani school has tried to ask for all Diocesan churches, schools to upgrade their security and to have armed gaurds patrolling the perimeter. Also that all parents, parishioners should have chip ensbled ID cards so that only the authorised parents be allowed into schools and churches. However this has not yet been addressed. It’s time the Christian Community in India looks out for itself ( like Israel ) as if there is nobody there to help them cos this situation is only going to get worse by the day
Thank you Fr. Warner for taking this brave step to address this ruthless problem. May our Lord guide you and protect you every step of the way as your voice reaches the millions. I’m sure a written petition signed by every Christian from their respective parishes will help. May the world leaders also intervene to help our Christian brethren. God bless you.
You have made some relevant points, but I’d like to know whether you are the same Fr Warner who promoted the BJP in 2014?
I sincerely would like to know where you got this ‘fact’ from? In 2014 I was the parish priest in Malad East.
Please note that I didn’t claim to be stating a fact, i merely asked a question, which you haven’t answered. As to your question about the source of my information, let me answer – my own recollections of people who supported the party responsible for the genocide in Gujarat and attacks against Christians in remote regions of India. I’m not accusing, I’m asking.
The the simple answer is NO. But even if one did have a view of any party and then chose to change their mind based on the unethical activotioes of the party they once supported, would they have no right to speak up?
The unethical activities of this party are not a new development, so if anyone supported the party despite historical evidence of its inhuman, heinous and evil deeds and policies, then that person has a right to speak up and an obligation to admit that she / he wilfully ignored the cruel misdeeds of this group.
Its very sad, dusgusting and deplorable to hear and see the massacare of Chrustian people in Manipur and the burning of Churches around 349 in Manipur which has put tgd Indian Democracy at crossroads by such hooligans sent by the Central Government to destroy Manipur n its peace loving people.
The unethical activities of this party are not a new development, so if anyone supported the party despite historical evidence of its inhuman, heinous and evil deeds and policies, then that person has a right to speak up and an obligation to admit that she / he wilfully ignored the cruel misdeeds of this group.
Thank you Fr Warner for speaking up so courageously. We all need to raise our voices in an united effort.
There seems to be a general feeling of helplessness among the respondents of Father Warner’s post. There is much you can do, and I share some of what we are doing, in the hope you can do more and mighter. In my diocese the archbishop has made aid a plank all can walk – circulars, social media, insertions in church publications calling for relief funds at a specific account aside, the archbishop has written to every parish priest to mobilise support, reminding them at every meeting with him, and pushing out appeals thru the pulpit. Collections at Mass aside, most parishes have responded with care packages of what is needed (a list of the absolutely essential items is circulated) sent to Manipur. Local BEC groups are also pitching in. Thanks to the archbishop’s exhortations, lay people, even some outside the faith have come forward… and a desire to help has even come from far west – across the country, from a friend of mine. Yesterday the priests, religious and laity of two major cities here came together to “March for Manipur” praying and walking thru the central street of our capital. With full secular media coverage, many more came to know, and feel, the reality of Manipur. The point is, you have the full community pitching in, and though it may be a drop of salve in the burning cauldron, it will have leadership forced to take attention if every diocese did this. But, because we are good Catholic sheep. It must be driven by the shepherd – your bishops. If your local bishop throws his weight behind action without the fear or bashfulness which I see elsewhere, even this crisis will show we are a force to reckon with. Right now our political masters are surely delighting at the silence of the lambs. And we all know where lambs are finally headed.
If I haven’t been clear: petition your bishops. In large numbers. Do it today, not tomorrow or next week. This alone can be your invaluable contribution.
The Silence of the Lambs in the Mumbai Diocese is deafening.
Surely we can do better as a community and rise from our pews!
DUMBED SHEEP! waiting for the shepherds who have lost their way???
Good article