From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Sep 13: Catholics and Christians of all denominations will be observing Sunday, September 14 as Black Sunday to express solidarity with the persecuted Christians and other minorities in strife-torn Iraq.
The observation of Black Sunday and the protest rally to express solidarity with the persecuted Christians and other minorities in Iraq, Syria and other African countries is being organised under the joint banner of the All Karnataka United Christians Forum for Human Rights (AKUCFHR) and the Federation of Catholics and Christians Associations (FKCCA) at the St Joseph’s Indian School grounds on Sunday afternoon.
Archbishop of Bangalore Dr Bernard Moras, who is also the President of Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops’ Council (KRCBC) and AKUCFHR, along with FKCCA Chairman T J Abraham, who had given a call for observing Friday, September 12, as a day of prayer and fasting on the issue, briefed reporters on the need to observe Black Sunday and also offer prayers by participating in the public rally to express solidarity with the persecuted Christians and other minorities in Iraq, Sryria and other countries.
Leaders of various Christian denominations affiliated to AKUCFHR like Catholics, Church of South India, Methodists, Baptists, Pentacost, Syrian Orthodox, Assemblies of God and representatives of the FKCCA as well of other organisations would participate in the rally.
The Archbishop and FKCCA Chairman Abraham said all citizens need to rise in protest and express their solidarity with the persecuted persons in Iraq, Syria and other countries as ''silence against such gross human rights violations and genocide is nothing but indirect support to such inhuman activities.”
Quoting media reports, they said over 1.70 lakh people had already been killed in Iraq and Syria and the abuse and violation of human rights including abduction, torture, bombings, forced conversions and killings of innocent persons, including women and children continued unabated. ''We need to rise against such inhuman holocaust, brutal torture and murders. Our silence and non-responsive attitude would mean our consent and support to such violence and atrocities against humanity,” the Archbishop said.
The Archbishop, FKCCA Chairman Abraham and Fr Ronnie Prabhu, Secretary of AKUCFHR and PRO of KRCBC, expressed concern over the sad plight of thousands of people displaced due to the flood havoc in Jammu and Kashmir and mentioned that a fund collection drive to aid and assist in the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the flood havoc and Jammu and Kashmir would also be conducted during the September 14 rally.
The Archbishop said a joint memorandum would be submitted to Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala after the rally for forwarding to the Government of India with a request to urge the Centre to take a strong stand against the inhuman persecution going on in Iraq and Syria.
''We will be forwarding a copy of the memorandum to the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), New Delhi, with a request to take up the issue with the Centre and also organise similar events to express solidarity with the persecuted Christians in Iraq and Syria,” the Archbishop said.
Archbishop Moras also appealed to all right thinking Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsees to condemn the persecution and execution of Christians in Iraq, Syria and other parts of the world, which is unfortunately being carried out in the name of religion.