Church row deepens, NCM advocates peace

Kochi – In the light of the rift between the Jacobite and Orthodox factions within the Syrian Malankara Christian community in Kerala deepening, the National Commission for Minorities member Mr. V.V. Augustine urged the two factions to resolve their disputes democratically.

"Respect majority’s will,” Mr. Augustine urged. “Come together and amicably resolve ownership issues of church properties on the basis of give and take.”

Emphasising that the church belongs to all the faithful, he added that it is the laity who should take the initiative to solve the longstanding conflicts and facilitate the process of opening the closed churches for worship.

“With a Christian spirit of sharing, as brothers of the same large family, people can build new churches and cemeteries could be shared,” he said.

Being aware of the difficulty to unite the two factions, Mr. Augustine said that they should recognize each other as separate entities but work together as nation builders, setting examples of peace.

Furthermore he recommended that there should be a permanent body for resolution of
disputes between the factions, discouraging defection of priests and higher church officials.

Focusing on the need for solidarity Mr. Augustine persuaded the factions to withdraw all legal cases against each other and live according to the spirit of Christ, “a spirit of love and sacrifice.”

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has made it clear that his government will not extend support to any particular faction in their fight to gain control over the church property.

''Our stand is very clear. We want to ensure the status quo,'' the Chief Minister told the media after a meeting of the state Cabinet.

He said the issues between the Orthodox and Jacobite factions should be settled either through a court order or a mutual settlement.

The crisis the Chief Minister was referring to involved an attempt by the heads of two warring factions to enter the Thrikkunnathu Seminary near Aluva to stake claim to the institution, breaching the status quo ordered by the court.

The incident was a sequel to the decades–long Church feud that saw a number of litigations up to the Apex court and interventions by the political authorities over the control of a large number of Churches and properties.

On July 3, at least 35 people, including devotees and police personnel, were injured at Aluva when the two factions clashed and the police tried to intervene.

The Malakankara Syrian Church's Jacobite Syrian faction head Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, fuelled the tension by undergoing a 3–day fast and seeking a written assurance from the Chief Minister to ensure justice.

The ailing 73–year–old religious leader, who refused to meet senior political leaders for talks and denied examination by doctors, also came down heavily on the Congress–led government for allegedly taking a partisan stand on the fued.

Thousands of his agitated supporters, taking out a demonstration, set ablaze state Additional Advocate General V K Beeran's car near UC College. He and his family, however, escaped unhurt.

Meanwhile, Ernakulam District Collector A P M Mohammed Haneesh has been asked by the government to investigate and report to the government on the alleged police excesses on Jacobite Church representatives at Aluva on July 3.