Catholics in the southern Indian state of Kerala formed a 17-kilometre-long human chain to support an ongoing fishermen’s protest against a multi-billion dollar Vizhinjam port project.
The human chain along the Chellanam-Fort Kochi coastal corridor on Sept. 10 was a show of solidarity against the project, which is a “man-made disaster,” said Father Jacob G Palakkappilly, spokesman of the Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Council (KCBC).
Thousands of fishermen and their families including women and children have been protesting since July 20 demanding an immediate halt to work at the site of the Adani port at Vizhinjam, close to the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
The Latin Archdiocese of Trivandrum is spearheading the protest as a majority of the fisher-men are Catholics and members of the archdiocese.
Archbishop Thomas J Netto in his latest pastoral letter appeal-ed to Catholics to expand the protest across Kerala as the state government refused to stop construction work.
The letter was read out in churches across the archdiocese during Sunday Mass on Sept.11.
The unholy nexus between the politicians and the corporate company led to legal clearance”
The protesting fishermen, their families, bishops, priests and nuns from the archdiocese, are not alone as the entire Catho-lic community in the state is with them,” Father Palakkappilly told on Sept. 12.