How do we respond when atrocities are committed against another community?
Here is an inspiring example.
You will have read about the violence that erupted in a part of North East Delhi in February. It seemed to have been a planned attack on the Moslem community. Houses and shops were attacked and burnt. We should not call such attacks “riots,” which word can make it look as if two or more groups are fighting with each other. This was not the case. One particular community was targeted.
Such things have happened before. What we want to highlight is the exemplary response of the local Catholic Community, especially of a number of Sisters, who moved in, visited the families and the camp, organized medical help, counselled women and children.
To illustrate the kind of trauma people went through, here is just one case, narrated by Sr Anitha Chettiar DHM:
“While I was in the Eidgah Mustafabad camp on 4th March 2020, Sr Kalai FMM came to me and said that there is a woman who was just brought to the camp who is suffering from severe trauma. She and her family of four members were blindfolded during the violent attacks and taken to a place and kept for two days and nights. Later, after much pleading, they were released on the roads. With fear and trembling they rushed to a friend’s place who directed them to the camp. Till one week even after the violence ceased, the family couldn’t muster courage to go towards their house. The woman was most traumatized of all. She couldn’t trust anyone in the camp too. When offered medicines for her blood pressure, she would refuse saying, “People are here to kill us in the name of medicine and injection, I don’t want anything… they are coming to kill us…” Worst, she wouldn’t even drink water nor eat even fruits. Later on, to avoid going to the washroom she wouldn’t even drink water nor eat food.”
This woman became normal and started taking medicine and food, when she saw the kindness of the Sisters, and their interest in helping them with very basic needs. Loving action changed suspicion to trust.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi got involved actively and directed Holy Family Hospital to arrange a medical team to go the camp. The relief work from the Catholic side was done under the patronage of the archdiocese, rather than of any particular religious order or NGO.
RUPCHA (the North Indian wing of CHAI) was actively involved.
The Delhi CRI sought help—both money and things, and made sure it reached the victims. The National CRI supported, mostly through a cash contribution. With admiration and thanks, I want to mention the following religious and priests who took the lead, got actively involved and made the terrible sufferings of the victims known to more people. In doing this, they showed the Catholic community, especially religious and priests, how we should reach out and help victims of such cruel attacks.
This relief work is carried out under the guidance of Waqf board in Eidgah, Mustafabad. The core group from the Catholic side consisted of the Coordinator, Mr Anshu Anthony, Sr (Advocate) Anastasia Gill PBVM (Member of the Delhi Minorities Commission), Fr Alex OFM Cap. (Provincial) Fr Sebastian (Director, CHAIRUPCHA), Fr John Britto (Director, Chetanalaya, the Social Wing of Delhi Archdiocese), Fr George PA (Director, Holy Family Hospital), Brother Denis SJ (Vidya Jyoti), Sr Preethi BS of Burari, and Sr Anitha Chettiar DHM (of Prabhatara).
Hats off to them, to the medical personnel from Holy Family Hospital, volunteers from various religious communities of Delhi and others who went personally and helped out generously and lovingly.
Have a look at the photos. They need no explanation. They speak for themselves.
Know that more was done than what these photos show— loving presence, listening to the victims, listing the losses to seek compensation, care of the children, providing emergency relief in cash and kind.
Fr Joe Mannath SDB
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