4
KOTTAYAM: Seeking a solution to the internecine feud in the Malankara Jacobite Syrian church, TOI approached various leaders in the state, cutting across religious and party affiliations. While all of them were unanimous in their opinion that the issue should end in an amicable manner that would satisfy both the Orthodox and Jacobite factions in the church, no one really knows whether the solutions being put forward would be acceptable to any of the groups, or whether they really are interested in resolving the decades-long dispute that is, in fact, bringing into disrepute the church, the clergy and the laity.
In this regard, the highly respected retired Supreme Court judge, Justice K T Thomas, said the government should take the initiative to form a three-member panel of eminent judges to resolve the stalemate. Two of the judges in this panel should be nominated by the respective factions to give them a sense of involvement and equity, the eminent jurist opined. The third member of the panel should either be the present mediator, Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan, or someone nominated by the government.
"The panel should evolve a formula, which the two sides should accept without imposing any kind of condition. The government should also fix a timeframe for the nomination of the judges. If any of the groups does not nominate a judge within the fixed period, the government should have the prerogative to nominate that judge," Justice Thomas said.
He was of the opinion that certain vested interests in both the groups were obstructing to any early resolution of the issue. "These people are led by monetary interests, and they are instrumental in keeping the tension alive. They are in fact dictating what the spiritual heads should do," Justice Thomas said
"There is no point in blaming the government, as successive governments have tried their best resolve the imbroglio, but failed," he said, adding that he had no affinity for any of the factions and that the peace loving sections in both the sides should take the initiative to bring about harmony in the church. "I appeal to both the factions to peacefully resolve the issue."
Panakkad Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, the Indian union Muslim league (IUML) state president, who along with other party leaders visited both the groups sitting in a fast at Kolencherry on Wednesday, said he had intervened to create an atmosphere for an amicable settlement. "I requested them to end the fast to create the atmosphere for a settlement. I did not offer any compromise formula. That has to evolve from discussions between the two sections."
Sarah Joseph, noted writer and social activist, who is in fact worried about the warring attitude of the churches that should actually be working for peace and tranquility in the society, was of the opinion that what had been taking place in Kolencherry in the last few days was nothing but a fight for power and wealth.
"We are living in a very volatile society where religion can play a big role in curbing extremist and terrorist activities. But instead of ensuring peace and tranquility in the society, the churches here are running after power and pelf. The row has been sending out a very negative message - that they are ready to do anything for power and wealth."
According to her, the only way to resolve the issue was to give up greed.
D Babu Paul, former chief secretary of Kerala, was of the opinion that the Kolencherry issue could not be viewed in isolation.
"It is part of a series of disputes at different levels. The only solution is for the two groups to accept that they have to co-exist like the two rites in the Roman Catholic church. In Kerala, the RC church has three rites - Latin, Malabar and Malankara. They say the mass in three different styles and recite the creed in two different ways. They are common only in that they accept the pope as the supreme spiritual head. The Malabar and Malankara Catholics are as independent as the Kottayam faction in the feuding church wants to be. The difference is only that the Latin Catholics accept the pope, as the other wants to accept the patriarch. Therefore, to resolve the issue, the two groups should come to an agreement on the lines of the two different rites in the Catholic church. That would also involve solving some local issues in terms of administration. Status quo can be maintained in all churches except where they are locked up. But that will amount to less than 25 churches. If people have the humility and wisdom to accept this, the problem can be solved in two weeks."
Tom Jose, Higher Education Secretary and Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd, has a different take. He says "Alternative Dispute Redressal (ADRs) mechanism is a right choice for exploring a solution for the long-pending dispute between the Jacobite and Orthodox factions of the Malankara church. The dispute is actually real estate issue and property ownership row, and both the factions are only trying to give religious cover for it. It will be difficult to find a solution to such an issue. I had tried to find a solution to the issue during my both tenures as sub-collector and district collector."
Asked about the possibility of entrusting the properties to a receiver and permitting both the factions to use the churches for services on separate time slots, he said this was being practiced in the past. But such solutions bring in only temporary reliefs and flare-ups recur after some time.
In this regard, the highly respected retired Supreme Court judge, Justice K T Thomas, said the government should take the initiative to form a three-member panel of eminent judges to resolve the stalemate. Two of the judges in this panel should be nominated by the respective factions to give them a sense of involvement and equity, the eminent jurist opined. The third member of the panel should either be the present mediator, Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan, or someone nominated by the government.
"The panel should evolve a formula, which the two sides should accept without imposing any kind of condition. The government should also fix a timeframe for the nomination of the judges. If any of the groups does not nominate a judge within the fixed period, the government should have the prerogative to nominate that judge," Justice Thomas said.
He was of the opinion that certain vested interests in both the groups were obstructing to any early resolution of the issue. "These people are led by monetary interests, and they are instrumental in keeping the tension alive. They are in fact dictating what the spiritual heads should do," Justice Thomas said
"There is no point in blaming the government, as successive governments have tried their best resolve the imbroglio, but failed," he said, adding that he had no affinity for any of the factions and that the peace loving sections in both the sides should take the initiative to bring about harmony in the church. "I appeal to both the factions to peacefully resolve the issue."
Panakkad Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, the Indian union Muslim league (IUML) state president, who along with other party leaders visited both the groups sitting in a fast at Kolencherry on Wednesday, said he had intervened to create an atmosphere for an amicable settlement. "I requested them to end the fast to create the atmosphere for a settlement. I did not offer any compromise formula. That has to evolve from discussions between the two sections."
Sarah Joseph, noted writer and social activist, who is in fact worried about the warring attitude of the churches that should actually be working for peace and tranquility in the society, was of the opinion that what had been taking place in Kolencherry in the last few days was nothing but a fight for power and wealth.
"We are living in a very volatile society where religion can play a big role in curbing extremist and terrorist activities. But instead of ensuring peace and tranquility in the society, the churches here are running after power and pelf. The row has been sending out a very negative message - that they are ready to do anything for power and wealth."
According to her, the only way to resolve the issue was to give up greed.
D Babu Paul, former chief secretary of Kerala, was of the opinion that the Kolencherry issue could not be viewed in isolation.
"It is part of a series of disputes at different levels. The only solution is for the two groups to accept that they have to co-exist like the two rites in the Roman Catholic church. In Kerala, the RC church has three rites - Latin, Malabar and Malankara. They say the mass in three different styles and recite the creed in two different ways. They are common only in that they accept the pope as the supreme spiritual head. The Malabar and Malankara Catholics are as independent as the Kottayam faction in the feuding church wants to be. The difference is only that the Latin Catholics accept the pope, as the other wants to accept the patriarch. Therefore, to resolve the issue, the two groups should come to an agreement on the lines of the two different rites in the Catholic church. That would also involve solving some local issues in terms of administration. Status quo can be maintained in all churches except where they are locked up. But that will amount to less than 25 churches. If people have the humility and wisdom to accept this, the problem can be solved in two weeks."
Tom Jose, Higher Education Secretary and Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd, has a different take. He says "Alternative Dispute Redressal (ADRs) mechanism is a right choice for exploring a solution for the long-pending dispute between the Jacobite and Orthodox factions of the Malankara church. The dispute is actually real estate issue and property ownership row, and both the factions are only trying to give religious cover for it. It will be difficult to find a solution to such an issue. I had tried to find a solution to the issue during my both tenures as sub-collector and district collector."
Asked about the possibility of entrusting the properties to a receiver and permitting both the factions to use the churches for services on separate time slots, he said this was being practiced in the past. But such solutions bring in only temporary reliefs and flare-ups recur after some time.
No comments:
Post a Comment