Human Rights Group Releases Report On Anti-christian Violence In 2007 As Un Special Rapporteur Warns Of Rising Communal Divisions In India

[chani111]

Human Rights group releases report on anti-Christian violence in 2007 as UN Special Rapporteur warns of rising communal divisions in India

dimanche 23 mars 2008 By Michael Ireland

A report documenting the high rate of religiously-motivated violence against Christians in India during 2007 has been released by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). The report was released as the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief concluded her 17-day visit to India.

At a press conference in New Delhi last week, UN Rapporteur, Asma Jahangir, warned that communal divisions seem to have increased in India during the past decade and called on the Indian government to address this growing problem.

CSW's report provides details of 142 religiously-motivated attacks on Christian targets in 2007, although it acknowledges that the real total may be much higher. It also provides a summary and analysis of the outbreak of severe communal violence, predominantly against Christians, in Orissa over the Christmas period. This episode was described by CSW partners, the All India Christian Council (AICC) as « the largest attack on the Christian community in the history of democratic India. » The highest recorded rate of separate incidents was in Karnataka state.

The report links the anti-Christian violence to an « anti-conversion culture, » rooted in the extremist Hindu nationalist ideology of Hindutva. This culture is also reflected in anti-conversion laws, currently in force in four states and on the statute books in three states. A new anti-conversion bill is due to be discussed in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly today.

The report criticizes pervasive police inaction or complicity with regard to anti-Christian violence, especially in the states of Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. In some cases, police arrested the Christian victims of attacks instead of their assailants, and a number of attacks on Christians by police officers were also recorded.

The report also highlights that religious freedom for Dalits is damaged by the religious conditionality attached to eligibility for the affirmative action-style system of 'reservations' designed to address the social exclusion of Dalits. Those who adopt Christianity or Islam lose their eligibility for these rights.

A copy of the report can be found at : http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.a...

CSW Chief Executive, Mervyn Thomas, said : "India has one of the worst rates of anti-Christian violence anywhere in the world. We urge the Indian government to take seriously the warning of the UN Special Rapporteur and to address both the activities of Hindu extremists in attacking and inciting hatred against Christians, and the prevailing culture of impunity for the perpetrators of these attacks. We further call for the repeal of all anti-conversion laws and for the extension of equal rights to Dalit Christians and Muslims."

CSW is a human rights organization which specializes in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promotes religious liberty for all.

For more information, please contact Penny Hollings, Campaigns and Media Manager at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045, email pennyhollings csw.org.uk or visit interro_liens_callback .

[chani111]

The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) told BosNewsLife that the Hindu militants were part of an angry mob of some 100 people who last week attacked the nuns near their St. Mary convent in Alibag, just outside Mumbai.

One of the two victims, identified only as Sister Mercy, returned two the convent after spending five days at Alibag Civil Hospital, but she struggles to overcome the trauma of the sexual abuse, the well-informed GCIC said. "I told them, 'kill me, don't leave me half-dead, if you must, then kill me'," she recalled in remarks published by GCIC. "They pushed me against the wire, and hit me, then threw me to the ground," she reportedly said.

It came on the heels of a report detailing 142 religiously-motivated attacks on Christian targets in 2007, although it acknowledged the real total may be "much higher." The report, issued by Britain-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), specifically cited deadly clashes in India's Orissa State over the Christmas period of 2007, described by rights watchers as the "largest attack on the Christian community in the history of democratic India."

THOUSANDS DISPLACED

Thousands of people were displaced during the outbreak of anti-Christian violence in Orissa's Kandhamal District area, which killed at least six Christians and burned over 700 houses and some 100 churches, according to church sources. Other reports spoke of up to nine people killed.

This week Christians, including some 150 survivors of the violence, staged a rally in New Delhi, demanding that the central government pressures state authorities to end persecution by detaining suspects, help rebuilding churches and houses, and providing humanitarian aid to Christian refugees. CSW also expressed concerns about where it recorded :the highest rate of separate [anti-Christian] incidents" in 2007.

CSW said anti-Christian violence was part of an "anti-conversion culture", rooted in the extremist Hindu nationalist ideology of 'Hindutva'," which aims to establish a Hindu-only nation, purportedly stretching across the entire Indian subcontinent. This culture is also reflected in 'anti-conversion laws.' This week Rajasthan became the 6th state to pass the anti-conversion legislation, after Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh and

Himachal Pradesh.

FORCED CONVERSION

Under the bill, conversion by force or allurement can lead to five years in jail, but those returning to their original religion will have total freedom. In contrast those converting need to give a month's notice to district collectors. Christian rights activists say the legislation is aimed at evangelizing Christians, amid concern among Hindu groups about the spread of Christianity in this overwhelmingly Hindu nation.

The developments have added to pressure on especially Dalits, seen as the 'lowest caste' in India's ancient system of Hinduism, church groups say. Dalits who become Christians also lose their eligibility for an affirmative action-style system of 'reservations' designed to address the

social exclusion of Dalits, prompting an ongoing law suit by rights groups.

CSW Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said India's government should soon address the perceived injustices. "India has one of the worst rates of anti-Christian violence anywhere in the world." The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, warned of more violence. "It is a challenge both for the government and for non-state actors to diffuse tensions and address the root causes ahead of time," she said.

[S1ngh]

Post such topics under NEWS section.