Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of clashes between the Myanmar military and Arakan rebels. A year later, about 700,000 Rohingya refugees are still in Bangladesh to which must be added another 200,000 who arrived in a previous exodus. Repatriation is slow, but in Myanmar the Independent Commission of Enquiry is getting ready to work.
Think tank responds to question “How can we continue to collaborate with one’s own Alma Mater?" raised by Fr Joseph Kristanto Suratman, executive secretary of the Seminaries Commission of the Bishops’ Conference. Proposals target major and minor seminaries.
Limited financial planning and poor business acumen are the main causes of the trend. The highest number of bankruptcies (13,098) among young people occurred in 2014. As of April 2018, another 4,240 young been declared bankrupt.
About a hundred young people took part in the third edition of the World Youth Pilgrimage for Peace organised by the Archdiocese of Seoul. “In our youth, we want to be peace makers and agents of peace, not only in the future, but now as well, in every corner of the Earth," they said. Card Yeom and Nuncio Mgr Xuareb celebrated Mass during the pilgrimage. Unification Minister said that if the wind of peace is blowing on the peninsula it is thanks to prayers by Catholics.
The Caravan of Peace started from Kabul last August 10th. 42 people walked 700 km, 25 barefoot with wounded feet. But peace still seems far away.
The police asked the parishes to summon boats and crew. The government offered reparations to the fishermen for loss of earnings but they politely refused: "We do not want to be paid for saving our brothers and sisters". Almost 3 thousand fishermen rescued more than 65 thousand people.
