Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - The suffering of Christians must not disappear from the national political agenda and can be the drive to approve the bill on violence against minorities: this is why Indian Christians have written to the "National Commission for Human Rights " demanding "justice for the martyrs of Orissa". As announced in a statement sent to Fides by Sajan K. George, president of the "Global Council of Indian Christians" (GCIC), three years after the massacres in Orissa, the local faithful struggle to survive because of poverty, unemployment, marginalization, and the impossibility of building a decent future. Some are still refugees, such as 54 Catholic and 17 Pentecostal families camped in Nandagiri, a settlement in the crosshairs in recent weeks about the possible demolition of the existing chapel.
The heartfelt letter sent to the Commission by the GCIC reported the plight of believers in Orissa, who are still subjected to "serious human rights violations". Hindu extremist groups continue to intimidate and to address to them false accusations of "conversions", but also the police and civil authorities do not adequately protect the Christians or cover such incidents.
Orissa, the letter continues, has become a test to measure the application of justice in India, citing a series of incidents such as deaths and sudden disappearances of Christians, lack of compensation to victims, denial of basic civil and social rights (such as identity card, residence certificate, pension); impossibility to educate children.
The appeal comes in a moment when the bill on violence against minorities (the "Communal Violence Bill") in Parliament is at a standstill , while the Episcopal Conference is pushing for its approval. According to data reported to Fides by the Indian Bishops there are more than 4,000 incidents of violence against religious minorities which took place in four years (2005-2009), and caused 648 deaths and 11 thousand injuries in the 24 states of the Federation. In 2008, the year of the anti-Christian massacres in Orissa, was considered the "black year", with 943 cases of intercommunal violence, especially in Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 30/09/2011)
