Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hyderabad (Agenzia Fides) - The Hindu and Christian religious minorities have organized a hunger strike in Hyderabad to protest against the violence and to demand more protection to the government. The initiative was launched after the murder of four Hindu doctors in the town of Chak, in the northern province of Sindh (see Fides 08/11/2011): The police follows the trail of the members of a local Islamic group and has arrested 13 suspects. Political parties and civil society activists, many Christians and members of the Commission "Justice and Peace" of the Diocese of Hyderabad are on hunger strike, too. The Bishop of Hyderabad, His Exc. Mgr. Max John Rodrigues, told Fides: "We condemn the brutal act. I met with Hindu leaders: as Christians, we stand alongside the Hindu community and express our solidarity. As far as religious minorities are concerned, we live the same problems". Fr. Samson Shukardin, OFM, head of the Commission "Justice and Peace" of the diocese, confirmed to Fides. "There is no security or safety for us. The episodes of violence are repeated over and over again, for reasons linked to fundamentalism or private vendettas. We are awaiting results of investigations and, if there is impunity, we will take other initiatives".
The protesters in Hyderabad, with flags and placards, stigmatize "the paralysis of the institutions" in the face of violence. "Muslim groups kill Hindus to terrorize them and force them to leave the province", this is what is stated. Some Hindu civilian leaders, such as M. Parkas and Jagdes Kumar, have launched an appeal to the highest state institutions, highlighting the threats that the Hindu and Christian minorities suffer every day, the illegal occupation of land and buildings, and the phenomenon of "stolen brides", Christian and Hindu girls that are kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam. One of these episodes, according to local sources of Fides, is at the basis of retaliation for the brutal murder of the Hindu doctors. Faced with such "inhuman, immoral and illegal" acts, the leaders have underlined that Minorities "believe in Pakistan’s peace, harmony and prosperity". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 10/11/2011)
