A CONFERENCE of India's Catholics and other Christians inaugurated by Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, has offered help in restoring peace in Nagaland and the Mizo Hills, predominantly Christian territories which arc demanding independence from India.
The five-day conference, sponsored by the Catholic Union of India and Protestant and Orthodox organisations, opposed the move for complete independence but appealed to the Indian government to satisfy the tribesmen's aspirations within the Indian Union.
The churches in the area, said the conference. could play a big part in making the tribesmen realise that their objects could be realised by remaining in India.
The statement came at a time of increased violence in the territories, where several trains were wrecked recently by rebellious tribesmen.