LONDON: As the violence in Manipur continues, Prime Minister’s special envoy Rishi Sunak on freedom of religion or belief (FROB), MP Fiona Brucecomplained about the “massive violence going on in Manipur” in the main chamber of House of the Commons on Thursday if BBC he was criticized for not reporting the violence.
In an oral interview with church officials, Bruce said: “Since the beginning of May alone, hundreds of churches have been destroyed, many burned down; over 100 people have been killed and over 50,000 displaced; schools and seminaries also look at what appears to be a systematic and premeditated attack where religion is the main focus. However there have been few reports about this. People there are crying for help; what can he do Church of England follow their cries,” Bruce asked, referring to the report, published by former BBC journalist David Campanale of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), which Bruce is a member of.
At the May 15 meeting of the Council of Experts at IRFBA, concerns were raised about the violence in Manipur, after which the report was launched. The report contains the testimony of people who saw with their own eyes who were affected by the accident and said “the destruction of the place of worship is very important.
MP Andrew Selous, deputy estates commissioner, representing the church commissioners in the debate, responded that Bruce “has done a great job in putting this matter in this House. I am sure that he, like me, wants to see more of this matter with the BBC and others. What he has told us is amazing. very much, and I know that the Archbishop of Canterbury, who went to India in 2019 to see these problems for himself, remains very concerned. I will bring his report on Manipur directly to the Archbishop.”
Bruce also asked Selous what the Church of England has done recently to protect FROB in other countries. He replied that the United Nations Security Council had recently taken a decision to produce an annual FROB report supported by the UK and the UAE.
Campanale’s report urges the Indian government to “deploy sufficient Indian armed forces to protect tribal communities” and calls for a thorough investigation into what happened at FROB.
It wants access to the media, for religious leaders to meet at the state level to resolve the problem, for a complaints body to be established and for the restoration of internet services.
In an oral interview with church officials, Bruce said: “Since the beginning of May alone, hundreds of churches have been destroyed, many burned down; over 100 people have been killed and over 50,000 displaced; schools and seminaries also look at what appears to be a systematic and premeditated attack where religion is the main focus. However there have been few reports about this. People there are crying for help; what can he do Church of England follow their cries,” Bruce asked, referring to the report, published by former BBC journalist David Campanale of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), which Bruce is a member of.
At the May 15 meeting of the Council of Experts at IRFBA, concerns were raised about the violence in Manipur, after which the report was launched. The report contains the testimony of people who saw with their own eyes who were affected by the accident and said “the destruction of the place of worship is very important.
MP Andrew Selous, deputy estates commissioner, representing the church commissioners in the debate, responded that Bruce “has done a great job in putting this matter in this House. I am sure that he, like me, wants to see more of this matter with the BBC and others. What he has told us is amazing. very much, and I know that the Archbishop of Canterbury, who went to India in 2019 to see these problems for himself, remains very concerned. I will bring his report on Manipur directly to the Archbishop.”
Bruce also asked Selous what the Church of England has done recently to protect FROB in other countries. He replied that the United Nations Security Council had recently taken a decision to produce an annual FROB report supported by the UK and the UAE.
Campanale’s report urges the Indian government to “deploy sufficient Indian armed forces to protect tribal communities” and calls for a thorough investigation into what happened at FROB.
It wants access to the media, for religious leaders to meet at the state level to resolve the problem, for a complaints body to be established and for the restoration of internet services.