Panaji, Aug 26 (IANS): The Archdiocese of Goa and Caritas Goa have lent a helping hand to Manipur where ethnic violence that erupted in May has killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands.

In a statement, Fr. Maverick Fernandes, Director of Caritas Goa, said: “The unprecedented man-made crisis in Manipur has shaken the entire country to the core. As usual Caritas India was the first to be on ground zero in Manipur to provide immediate relief through the provision of Food kits, Shelter-NFI kits and Dignity kits for hygiene and personal well-being of women and adolescent girls through its partner organisations in Imphal and Silchar, to the thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in the relief camps, despite the blockades.

“The Church in Goa as always rendered its compassionate heart to the suffering people in Manipur. His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao immediately contacted the Archbishop of Imphal, Domnic Lumon to assure the support of the Archdiocese of Goa.

"His Eminence issued a Circular with an Appeal to support the suffering people of Manipur. However, before any collections could be received from generous donors, as our immediate response, the Archdiocese of Goa and Caritas Goa sent Rs 20 lakhs to the Archdiocese of Imphal for the relief of the internally displaced persons in the three hundred different camps."

Fr. Fernandes went on to say that “in our constant interaction with the management of Caritas India, we were apprised of the large scale relief interventions.

"Strategically, we were advised to organise only monetary assistance, as logistical costs of transporting relief materials would be enormous and unnecessary as the same was procured from closer districts and with lesser requirements of permissions,” he said.

“Subsequently, in response to the appeal from His Eminence, people contributed through the parishes and individually very generously towards Manipur aid. The Archdiocese received contributions from the faithful and well-wishers and dispatched Rs 45 lakhs to the Archdiocese of Imphal and Caritas Goa sent Rs 41 lakhs to Caritas India for relief and short-and-long term rehabilitation initiatives in Manipur."