DIMAPUR, APRIL 9 (MExN): Religious intolerance made a rude mark at Kezo town under Phek district on April 2 when the newly built Catholic Church was destroyed by Vikosa Zecho, the Chairman and his team, according to the Nagaland Catholic Youth Association (NCYA).
“They pulled down the church unable to bear the presence of another Church (other) than the Baptist,” Roseline Richa, a representative of the NCYA said. The Catholic Community numbering 34 took years to build a church with the help of many from outside the community, she said. Desiring to dedicate it on 26th February, the church leaders were on their way but were blocked while on their way to officiate the ceremony and later the church was locked up by the Chairman, Roseline added.
What followed was the visit of the Kezo village catholic community on April 2 to the community at Kezo town. They too were refused to have the key of the church but they broke open the lock and conducted the service, the release said. “Then the Kezo town youth at the order of the chairman pulled down the church by 6.00 pm.”
Preceding the incident was the issuing of a letter by the chairman to the catholic community to remove the said building because it was in another’s property, it said. “Saving himself logically, he never used the term church, but kept to the term building in his writings.”
However, the landowner though belonging to the Baptist community had given the land to build the church and was there to prevent its destruction, Roseline said and added that the landowner became a victim of the fury of the youth. The civil authority is yet to reply to the complaints lodged, though the EAC of Kezo denied entertaining the case with the statement that it is a religious issue and so it does not come under her jurisdiction, she said. “It is to be noted that the Kezo town is part of the Kezo village for civil matters.”
“Catholic Church has been a source of tremendous blessing to the people of Nagaland. It has stood persecution ever since its inception. In this week when the church recalls the persecution and death of Jesus, the founder of Catholic Church, it comes handy for the Church to repeat the prayer of the master, forgive them father, for they know not what they do.”
At the same time the Catholic youth of Nagaland expresses its solidarity with the suffering community in prayer, presence and perseverance and calls upon every right minded Naga to persevere the value of religious freedom and unity.
