Burma: Bishop advocates eco-spirituality

Bishop Nicholas Mang Thang of Hakha is well known in the Catholic Church and among other Christian denominations for championing agricultural and ecological issues.

The 67-year-old prelate has promoted the idea of eco-spirituality for the past 13 years and one of his dreams is to restore a deforested range of hills in northwestern Chin state to its former glory.

Bishop Mang Thang is already very active in ecology in Hakha diocese. He runs the agriculture commission (food security) and has bought up many plots of land to be used for planting crops and trees.

He is in charge of the Episcopal Commissions for Evangelization, for Catechesis and Catechists, and for Social Development. He is also co-founder of the local diocesan Little Way Sisters of St. Therese.

In an interview with ucanews.com, Bishop Mang Thang sets out his ecological aims for his diocese, what Hakha diocese has done so far, and what it will do in the future.

Q: What is the aim of promoting ecology and agriculture in the diocese?

A: The Chin Hills used to be famous as a wonderful place that nourished nature, but that has all changed now. We therefore have the moral responsibility to maintain God’s creation.

As a first step, we aim to distribute pamphlets and leaflets to everyone regardless of religion, which explain how important the environment is. They will also contain information on how to plant trees and crops. Hopefully, we can all join hands in nurturing a beautiful environment filled with many trees and plants.

Our church will also seek to become a re-awaking church with priests reaching out to all people from the villages to establish good relations with them. It’s another form of evangelization.

Q: Can you explain eco-spirituality?

A: Eco-spirituality means the spirit of keeping the environment natural which is described in the Bible.

In the prayer book of adoration, I include the words, “Let’s give praise to God together with trees and plants.” That is eco-spirituality.

Q: What motivated you to pursue these ecological issues?

A: The motivation stems from my childhood. I always loved to grow plants. I also planted many trees when I was in a minor seminary. When I became rector of St. Joseph’s Catholic Major Seminary in Yangon, I planted vegetables and banana trees so it would reduce the cost of providing meals for seminarians.

Q: What is the current situation in this region on deforestation and reforestation? Is there any church action on these?

A: People are cutting down trees for firewood so they are becoming scarcer and scarcer. I’m urging people not to cut down trees especially ones near water sources.

I’m also encouraging every parish priest to plant trees and crops over an area of at least five acres.

By working with UNICEF, we are trying to introduce projects using sustainable agriculture and stop the destruction of hillside forests. For that we are distributing seeds for crops that will yield two or three harvests a year.

We have conducted research on rice and corn for three years. We are also using a trench system for drainage, preserving water and making organic fertilizers with the help of Caritas France. The trench system has worked well for us so we are going to use this same system over the next three years.

In some parishes, we have launched a program to collect seeds for timber wherever we can find them.

Q: What are the greatest challenges you face regarding the ecology and deforestation?

A: People from the Chin Hills can’t be classified as modern farmers since they lack advanced technology. Human and social development is one of the greatest challenges. Awareness courses on ecology, deforestation and reforestation are also essential among these hill tribes.

Q: What has been your biggest ecological success and failure?

A: The success has been establishing good relations with pastors from different churches, Buddhist monks and the local authorities. They frequently come and visit our projects and I give my plants and seeds to them free of charge.

It can be said that new job opportunities are created for the people working on our projects and that’s good, but we don’t make any profit from these.

Q: What are your immediate plans on the ecology, deforestation and reforestation?

A: I am planning to dedicate 2011 as a year of water preservation and the promotion of organic systems. Installation of underground tanks and developing organic techniques is a must for every parish in Hakha diocese. I also intend to hold an agricultural competition to find the best crops harvested from various projects. By the end of this year we also hope to have planted 10,000 coffee plants.

We also plan to plant 1,500 rhododendron trees, the symbol of our Chin Hills.

July 19th, 2010
[UCAN]