Page 31 - IB June 2017

Opinion
Bishop stands firm on environmental issues

Truth that he was raised on the do with the environment alone and in
isolation; the issue cannot be approached
third day in accordance
piecemeal.”
with the scriptures, and
that he appeared to Ce-
q This leads us to ask ourselves about
and Archbishop of phas, then to the twelve.” the meaning of existence and its values
as the basis of social life: “What is the
The New Testament Eas-
ter narratives taken as a
purpose of our life in this world? What is
Suva, Reverend Dr
whole hold the following
the goal of our work and all our efforts?
Peter Loy Chong
justice certain doubt or disbelief, What need does the earth have of us?”
structure:
q “Unless we struggle with these
q Jesus revealed God to the disciples,
q The disciples had to overcome a
deeper questions I do not believe that
our concern for ecology will produce
q The Risen Lord charged them with
AS the Pacific and global focus turns a mission. significant results.”
I have come to know of a quarry oper-
towards COP 23 and the Oceans Summit, Easter began with an experience. Jesus’ ating near Natadradave, Dawasamu that
the region continues to face challenges life, teachings, miracles, suffering and intends to crush all the stones and rocks
with climate change, extractive industry death gave new meaning and purpose to it can find in the river alongside the vil-
and development. How much should the the disciples. They experienced liberation, lage and sell the crushed stones locally
region give up in return for development? truth and hope. In other words they came and overseas. They have carried out an
Are global development models appli- to know Jesus as the Christ, the anointed Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)
cable in the Pacific? Those are just some one, the messiah. In Jesus they found the and hence given a licence to operate a
of the questions which challenge leaders, truth that was worth living and dying for. quarry. I am deeply concerned how the
extraction of stones from the river will
Easter and Jesus’ resurrection is not only
industrialists and the people of the Pacific. about the dead body of Jesus coming back affect the environment in the nearby
In his Easter message, Archbishop of Suva, to life, rather it was more about how the villages of Natadadrave and Delakado.
Reverend Reverend Dr Peter Loy spirit and life of Jesus lifted up the lives What impact will it have on the fishes,
Chong, spoke about the link between of believers. Easter charged them with a prawns and other creatures that depend
God, creation and development. mission for the whole world. This is the on the river including human beings?
Peace — Shalom! (May you have Easter Good News. What will happen if there is heavy rain
fullness of life). Peace is the first word What is the Easter mission for Fijian and flooding?
uttered by Jesus to his disciples after Christians? In this reflection I want to The people of Natadradave are not the
he rose from the dead. Jesus greets the focus on our Easter mission in the con- only victims of some so-called develop-
disciples who were still traumatised by text of climate change and caring for our ment projects.
his humiliating and brutal death. environment or in the word’s of Pope We already have bauxite mining
Easter celebrates the most important Francis I, Our Common Home. in Bua. There is mining interest in
event of the Christian tradition, namely Today the message regarding the vul- Wainunu, Bua. A mining company has
the life, death and resurrection of Jesus nerability and destruction of our common been carrying intensive mining explora-
Christ. However, the writings of the home, the earth, has been made clear. tions in Namosi for the last 40 years.
New Testament have no record of Jesus’ Pope Francis’ letter addressed to all the Some reliable sources state that their
actual rising from the tomb. Instead it peoples of the world, “Laudato Si: En- licence for Deep Sea Mining in Fiji’s
only has accounts of the appearances of cyclical Letter on Care for our Common ocean has been issued. Along with the
Jesus to the disciples. This means that Home” states that the earth, our sister, extractive industries we have to take
the disciples’ knowledge and experience now cries out to us because of the harm into account the logging industry and
of the Risen Jesus was given to them. In we have inflicted on her by our irrespon- any industry that exploits our natural
other words revelation is a gift from God. sible use and abuse of the goods with resources. All these projects carried out
Therefore, to understand what happened which God has endowed her.” (Laudato in the name of development must be
on that original Easter and to reinterpret Si no.2) He adds that “The earth, our evaluated and questioned in regard to
its meaning for Fiji today we turn to the home, is beginning to look more and social and ecological justice.
disciples’ experiences of the risen Jesus. more like an immense pile of filth.” How do they develop and protect
The Easter-experience took place in (Laudato Si’no. 66) Human beings are human beings, creatures and the
the context of Jewish peoples’ suffer- responsible for the cry of the earth, our environment?Easter brings the message
ing and hope for liberation. Ever since sister and mother. of hope to the Jews and early Christians
the Babylonian exile around 587BC, Pope Francis raises important ques- who have been oppressed for years. Eas-
the Jews have always looked forward tions that challenge our Easter mission ter message therefore speaks against the
to their liberation when God will send to protect and raise our fallen home and destruction of peoples, the environment
a messiah. One of the earliest records all that live in it. and the planet.
of Easter is found in Paul’s first letter to q “What kind of world do we want May the Easter services and prayers
the Corinthians (1Cor.15:3-5); “Christ to leave to those who come after us, to give us the strength to follow the Risen
died for our sins in accordance with the children who are now growing up?” Lord courageously in his suffering, death
scriptures, and that he was buried, and q “This question does not have to and resurrection. Alleluia!

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