Alternative Role of Church Leaders amidst Oppression  

The three days programme on Dalt and Tribal issues on the theme “Alternative role of Church Leaders amidst oppression” held at CNI Centre for Human Potential Development, Nagpur from 11^th-13^th March 2008. A total of 65 participants from different Dioceses of Church of North India including Bishop P. P. Marandih (Patna Diocese), Bishop Pradip L. Kamble ( Nasik Diocese), Bishop Samson Das ( Cuttack Diocese), Bishop Naresh S. Ambala (Eastern Himalaya Diocese), Bishop M. U. Kasab (Marathwada Diocese), Bishop C. K. Das (Sambalpur Diocese) participated and facilitated the programme.  

The Rev. Dr. Enos Das Pradhan, General Secretary of the Church of North India Synod delivered the Welcome Address. The Keynote addresses delivered by Rev. Dr. (habil.) James Massey and Dr. Kancha Ilaiah focused at creating awareness among the Dalits and Tribals on the complex issues that they face in their day to day life and emphasized mainly to the Church leaders of Church of North India to find right direction, inspiration and strength in their social transformation. The other sessions were facilitated by Rev. Raj Bharath Patta, Rev. Dr. Jione Havea, Rev. Asir Ebenezer, Rev. Joshep Prabhakar Dayam, Rev. Dr. Wati Longchar, Mr. Philip Peacock, Mr. Prashant Bhonsle, Mr. Mervin Mecwan, Mr. Sudeep Tigga, Ms. Suramya Kujur, Mr. Sudipta Singh and Mr. Pradip Bansrior.  

The three days programme provided a unique chance for the participants to discuss and tackle various issues based on the struggles of the Tribals and Dalits in the existing global development, social changes and liberation from castism, employment, identity, education system, sex crimes, the socio-economic, political and cultural oppression, the degradation of values, the present evangelical trend, the reality of Dalits and Tribals and to rediscover relevant biblical and theological vision in today’s context to take it as challenge to form a new society. This programme also provided an opportunity to facilitate a better appreciation and understanding to articulate the present need and struggles of the Dalits and Tribals in Church of North India .  

The programme contents combined with participating and creative process of interacting and learning. It was done in different input sessions i.e. Worship, reflection and meditation, lecture discussion, case studies, song sessions, panel presentation, group discussion and cultural sharing. For action plans the participants felt to sensitize the congregations specially the Dalits and Tribals about their rights, liberation, equality, justice, effect of globalization, reservation policies & education  system especially to strengthen the primary education, identify and train to contest for Panchayat, Rajya sabha and Lok Sabha elections, awareness building programme in the Church on Govt. policies/ provisions/ plans/ programmes/ schemes. Dalit/Tribal council in each diocese, priority should be given in the institutions of Church of North India and conduct Bible studies on re-reading the Bible from subaltern perspective.