A Thai bishop who has been active in social development and justice
work for decades died on Dec. 2 at a Bangkok hospital. Bishop Michael
Bunluen Mansap, retired bishop of Ubon Ratchathani, was 81.
The late bishop was founder of the Catholic Council of Thailand for
Development (CCTD) and also the Thai Church’s Justice and Peace
Commission.
“Bishop Bunluen was among the first (Catholic clergymen) who talked
about and taught the Catholic social teachings,” said Rungroj
Thangsurakit, former CCTD manager. The bishop rallied Thai people of all
religions to tackle social injustices.
“During the coup d’ etat in 1992, Bishop Bunluen pushed the Thai
Church to declare its position on solving political problems by peaceful
means and with respect for people’s human rights. Before this, the Thai
Church had always been quiet on these matters,” recalled Rakawin
Leechanavanichpan, former coordinator of the justice and peace
commission.
Bishop Mansap had even earlier this year called on the government and
“red-shirt” demonstrators to renew talks after violent clashes left
several people dead and hundreds injured.
“What endangers the country is not civil war, it is anger and hatred,
and there seem to be lots of people with hatred today.”
He urged all
Thais to accept different opinions and beliefs.
“All humans have the
potential to love each other but are divided by politics and ideology,”
he said.
The so-called “red shirts,” a loose coalition of political activists
and supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, have been encamped
in Thailand’s capital for nearly a month.
They claimed the government of
Abhisit Vejjajiva is illegitimate and were calling for the immediate
dissolution of parliament and early elections.
Bishop Mansap was also in charge of the Thai bishops´ Commission for
Human Development, the Commission for Ethnic Groups and the Episcopal
Commissions for Social Works.
Born in 1929, the bishop was ordained a priest for Ratchaburi diocese
in western Thailand in 1951. As a young priest, he was interested in
social development ministry, but he became actively involved only from
1965.
He served as secretary of the Office for Human Development of the
Federation of the Asian Bishops´ Conferences from 1974 to 1976, the year
he was ordained a bishop. From 1978 to 1984 he was chairman of the same
office.
SIC: AN/INDIA
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