Imphal, April 01 2012: With the authority of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) giving a 15-day deadline to dismantle two Church buildings constructed within the institute's complex, leaders of the two Churches have urged the State Government to intervene and stop the proposed demolition process.
A memorandum to this effect was submitted by committee leaders of the two ChurchesLamphel Baptist Church (LBC) and Rongmei Naga Baptist Church (RNBC) to the newly inducted Home Minister Gaikhangam and Health Minister Phungzathang Tonsing on Friday.
The two Ministers, who are devout Christians, said that they would look into the matter to safeguard the two worship places after consulting the matter with Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
In its memorandum, committee leaders of LBC said the Church was established by the employees of the erstwhile Regional Medical College (RMC) now Rims in 1973 at an empty space surrounded by the nurse quarters of the medical institute.
The Church has been serving as a prayer house and other aspectsreligious gathering, training centre for learning ethics, moral etc since its establishment and seventy percent of the employees occupying the nurse quarters are members of the Church.
On Thursday, committee members of the two Churches were summoned by Rims authority and were asked to decide within fifteen days to either dismantle the Churches by them or the authorities will demolish the two worship places.
During the meeting, the Rims authority also asked the committee members to furnish supporting documents, if any on April 16 .
The LBC memorandum urged the Government to stop the proposed demolition of the Churches saying that Rims benefits from the Church as prayer, which is meditation reduces or kills stress of its employees.
It said the issue of aconstruction of Church and other place of worship in public places is still pending before the Supreme Court and till date no order has been passed to demolish Churches constructed in public places.
Rims said the present site of the two Churches is an area where residential quarters, college of nursing, dental college and AYUSH will come up soon.
Source: The Sangai Express
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Press Release by All India Christian Council:
RIMS Authority Notified to Remove Two Churches
New Delhi, April 1, 2012
The Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, Manipur summoned Church elders and ordered to remove two church constructions within 15 days. All India Christian Council took up thematter with one and only the standing member of first Lok Sabha and appealed to the National Commission for Minorities to protectthe interest ofMinority rights. Christian Council condemns the irresponsible decision of RIMS to vacate the sanctity of church buildings by force.
According to the request letter addressed to the President of All India Christian Council from Lamphel Baptist Church, Imphal, Manipur said, “the Office of the Deputy (Admin), RIMS summoned the elders of Lamphel Baptist Churchand Rongmei Naga Baptist Church on March 29 and served 15 days notice to remove the church building otherwise the authority will destroy the church buildings by force.”
Dr. John Dayal – Member of NationalIntegra tion Council and Secretary General of All India Christian Counciland Rev. Madhu Chandra – Regional Secretary of AllIndia Christian Council and Spokesperson of North East Support Centre & Helpline took up the matter with honourable Member of Parliament and FormerChief Minister of Manipur, Shri Rishang Keishing yesterday and conveyed the grievances faced by the members of two churches with RIMS campus. Shri Rishang Keishing has assured to take up the matter with Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri O. Ibobi Singh.
Dr. John Dayal has been closely following the matters related to minority rights and interest in the state of Manipur. He says, “The Christian members in the state of Manipur are increasing facing the threat from public as well as from the state Government. It is the duty of the elected government toprotect and serve the interest of minorities in the state.”
Rev. Madhu Chandra says, “Lamphel Baptist Church and Rongmei Naga Baptist Church have been existed within the campus for last forty years. It has become sanctity of religious place.The authorities of RIMS, serving 15 days notice to remove otherwise to destroy forcefully is the irresponsible decision. The decision violates the fundamental rights of religious minorities and insults the religious sentimental.”
The All India Christian Council has taken up the matter with National Commission of Minorities and Manipur State Minority Commission so that the interest ofMinorities must be protected.
All India Christian Council calls upon the Authority of RIMS to adopt the way PGI Chandigarh, (Post Graduate Institute of MedicalEducation and Research, Chandigarh), where the authority has setup the religious places – Temple for Hindus, Gurdwara for Sikhs, Mosque for Muslims and Church for Christians within the campus. This will help the people to live in peace, harmonyand co-existence among all sectionsof societies, particularly for the state like Manipur where heterogeneous communities live together.
The Lamphel Baptist Church was established by the employees of theRegional Medical College, now Regional Institutes of Medical Sciences in 1973 for the purpose of prayer, worship and the members ofthe church belong to Meiteis, Nepalis, Tangkhul, Thadou, Kuki, Vaiphe, Mao, Rongmei, Inpui, Lianmei, Tarao, Anal, Monsang, Kom,Hmar, Chiru, Aimol, Lamkang, Mayon, Maring, and Paite. The 70% of the members of the church are the employees of RIMS. The space occupied by Lamphel Baptist church is just 100 x 70 feet.
Many churches among Meitei and Rongmei villages have been destroyed and Christians have been attacked in last 15 years in the stateof Manipur. Two churches in Naga River, Imphal are currently served tovacate and churches in Lamphel housing colony threatened to vacate.
The All India Christian Council ( www.christianco uncil.in ), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc isa coalition of thousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay leaders.
Released by
Madhu Chandra
Regional Secretary
Source: e-pao.net
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