Catholic Church of Nagaland opposes UCC, supports RIIN

CAN holds ‘Reading the Signs of the Times’ consultative seminar 

Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 14

The Catholic Association of Nagaland (CAN) organised a one day consultative seminar under the theme “Reading the Signs of the Times” on August 12 at Mt Tabor Retreat House, Kohima.

Briefing media persons on August 12 after the programme, CAN informed that the consultative seminar of the Diocese of Kohima led by Most Rev Bishop James Thoppil, along with lay leaders and community representatives discoursed on the various issues which have direct impact upon every human person.

The seminar discussed on Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Manipur Crisis, Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN), Article 371 (A) of the Constitution of India and the Naga political issue.

Based on the Catholic Social Teaching (CST), the consultative seminar affirmed that the Church is the “Embodiment of the Aspirations of the People.”

The Catholic Church, therefore, calls for Integral Human Development, which concerns the wellbeing of each person in every dimension: economic, political, social, ecological, and spiritual with respect for the transcendent dignity of the human person.

“The Catholic Church takes upon herself the responsibility of enabling decision makers to be abundantly prudent while charting its policies that must serve the needs of the human person and that such policies or decisions must uphold the unique identities of all the diverse communities,” stated CAN President Johnny Ruangmei and Secretary General Teisovi Gerald Meyase in a press statement.

The CAN opposed UCC “which is an attempt to supplant our society to another society infringing the very nature of the inherent rights of the local community.”

It affirmed that UCC is neither necessary nor desirable and appealed the State Government to take an absolute resolution in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly to oppose UCC.

Taking cognisance of the disturbed happenings in Manipur violent crisis and conflicts, the CAN denounced “the very act of dehumanising act committed by the people involved in the conflicts.”

“The Catholic Church of Nagaland is agonised to see that the dignity of human person has been greatly defiled in Manipur. Reading the signs of the times, such dehumanising conflict can happen anywhere and everywhere.”

Accordingly, the CAN ‘implored’ the Government of  Nagaland (GoN )to take steps and measures to shun and prevent such inhuman conflicts to happen in the State which “will dehumanise the wellbeing of each person in every dimension: economic, political, social, ecological, and spiritual.”

In the context of the RIIN, the CAN expressed its appreciation and supported the policy initiatives of the government.

However, it appealed the GoN to be “prudent with abundance precaution” while charting and enacting laws and policies, which directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community.

Further, it urged the Government to pursue policies that is centered upon the human person to flourish in its full dignity.

Article 371 (A), Naga political issue
After deliberation on the insights shared on the Article 371 (A), the CAN beseeched the GoN and its machineries to further the understandings on the proviso of Article 371(A) while embarking upon on the various issues relating with the Article.

The CAN also deliberated and discoursed on the Naga Political issues on the backdrop of respecting the human dignity and participation of the principle of Catholic Social Teaching (CST).

Being the reader of the signs of the times, it affirmed to “reason the reasons” on the Naga Political issues.

“The Catholic Church of Nagaland understanding our past in the light of the present, implore upon every Naga concerned to build a culture of collective thinking rather than patronizing an individual idea,” CAN stated.

In this context, it appealed all citizens of Nagaland to understand and recognise the ‘battle for Truth rather than conforming to Unholy prevailing majority opinions.’

Every Catholic Church member in the state could articulate the inner happenings of the Naga society for right discernment of the community development envisioning Common Good in Nagaland, CAN noted.

Basing on the rich spiritual and social heritage of the Catholic Church, the Bishop of Kohima Diocese, the head of the Catholic Church in Nagaland, Most Rev. Dr  Thoppil stated that de-generated democratic system, where majority oriented democracy and rights should be shunned.

The monoculture of unequal treatment of the equal has no place to implant in the society, he stated.

The resource persons for the one-day consultative discourse included Elias R Vaz, President, All India Catholic Union; Johnny Ruangmei, President, CAN; Elias T Lotha, Advisor CAN;  and Jonas Yanthan, Advisor CAN.

The sessions were moderated by Dr Kekhrieseno Christina, Associate Professor, Kohima College and Dr Richard Dzüvichü, Assistant Professor, Kohima Science College Jotsoma.

The sessions were also enlightened by Rev Fr GL Khing, Vice-Principal, NEISSR on the UCC.