The XVIII, National Convention of the Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace was held at St. Arnold’s , Seva Sadan, the Provincial House of the SVD congregation. Present were representatives of 15 states of India of 24 congregations, who are a solidarity group involved in the struggles of our people who live on the periphery.
The theme for the Convention was : Pilgrims of Hope: Towards integral Ecology; in keeping with the jubilee year, inviting us to be Pilgrims of Hope.
The three day Convention from 18 to 20 October had Mr Soumaya Dutta, an environmental scientist giving the keynote address. Other prominent activists were Fr Bolmax Pereira of Goa archdiocese, who by presenting the case study of Goa said, that the carrying capacity of Goa is exhausted to accommodate more real estate development. The people of Goa have been opposing the three linear projects which is destroying the Ecosystems of our Mother Earth.
Advocate Lara Jessani, threw light on the legal provisions and called forth the members that such detrimental projects can only be opposed by people’s power and strength.
Renowned activist Medha Patkar of Narmada Bacchao Andolan, shared the struggle of the people of the Narmada Valley for the past 39 years. Many villages are being submerged due to the rising of the dam, causing loss of livelihood, creating homelessness and other consequences of degradation of our common home. She implored that we need to be together to oppose such faulty projects which are corporate oriented. Rights of people have to be safeguarded as enshrined in our Indian Constitution. Dayabai, (Mercy Mathew), a radical woman shared her life’s struggle ever si since being three years of age, How her journey brought her from Kerala to Madhya Pradesh, where she pitched her tent among the tribals and now at 84, continues to stand with people in their struggles. Anand Lakhan from Indore did an analysis of the cost of Indore being declared the cleanest city. The parameters which have awarded this city have been fake and its anti.people…pushing the poor out of the city, denying them their physical space.
Michelle Pinto from Pune was the facilitator who by her creative skills kept the participants interested and engaged. The group discussions invited the participants to seriously engage and find concrete ways to save our Mother Earth…this is perhaps the last chance, we humans have to reverse the course of events.
In conclusion the participants planned concretely what they would do according to their states.
First to begin with ourselves to live simpler lifestyles, closer to the poor, avoiding unnecessary consumption and extravagance.
To internalize, own, and actualise Pope Francis Encyclical Laudato Si and Apostolic Exhortation Laudato Deum individually and collectively and to proactively communicate the significant content of these documents.
To demonstrate the prophetic courage to address systemic , structural issues. We commit ourselves to continue our struggle for the care and protection of our Mother Earth Dorothy Fernandes pbvm
