For more information, contact:
Dr. John Dayal, aicc Secretary General
Dr. Sam Paul, aicc National Secretary of Public Affairs

For immediate release

aicc leaders available to give expert comment to journalists about report
aicc coordinated six meetings with multi-faith NGOs during March 2008 visit
Report agrees with aicc recommendations on repealing anti-conversion laws, equal rights for Dalit Christians and Muslims, and more

NEW DELHI – February 6, 2009 – Ms. Asma Jahangir, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, released her report on religious freedom in India on January 26, 2009. A copy was made available to the All India Christian Council (aicc) yesterday and is available at: http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?m=86 

The report is scheduled to be discussed in the UN Human Rights Council on March 10, 2009. Highlights are below. Aicc leaders are available to comment on the report’s findings. The report mentions the anti-Christian attacks in Orissa in December 2007 and August 2008. A wave of violence also spread across Karnataka in September, including the destruction of at least 39 churches, and the aicc recorded over a hundred violent incidents – about one every three days – in other states throughout India in 2008.

The aicc coordinated six meetings between the UN Special Rapporteur and non-governmental groups (NGOs) during her three week visit in March 2008. During the meetings, aicc leaders presented an analysis of increasing religious discrimination and violent attacks. The aicc invited Muslims, Christians, Dalits, Buddhists, Baha’i, and other minority leaders to give independent testimony to the Special Rapporteur.

The report’s conclusion says in part, “There is at present a real risk that…communal violence might happen again unless political exploitation of communal distinctions is effectively prevented and advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence is adequately addressed.”  Issues of concern were divided into five areas: 1) Situation of religious or belief minorities, 2) Justice for victims and survivors of communal violence, 3) Freedom of religion or belief in Jammu and Kashmir, 4) Negative impact of laws on religious conversion in several states, and 5) Religion-based personal laws.

Recommendations to the Central and state governments of India include:

• Scheduled Caste status should be delinked from the individual’s religious affiliation; this agrees with the National Commission for Religious & Linguistic Minorities study given to the Prime Minister in May 2007 which said Dalit Christians and Muslims should receive reservations and government benefits.
• Reconsider the necessity of Freedom of Religion Acts, often called ‘anti-conversion laws’, currently passed in seven states.
• Affirm the right to propagate religion because “peaceful missionary activities and other forms of propagation of religion are part of the right to manifest one’s religion or belief, which may be limited only under restrictive conditions.”
• Appoint members to State Human Rights Commissions which reflect the diversity of each state, especially in terms of gender.
• Recognise and act against “mob violence” or intimidation by religious extremist groups and “institutionalised impunity”, which creates fear for minority religious adherents.
• Implement vigorous protection of religious minorities and prevent communal violence, including passing legislation to specifically deal with inter-religious violence.

Meetings coordinated by aicc were held in: Ahmedabad, Gujarat (March 9); Trivandrum, Kerala (March 14); Bhubaneswar, Orissa (March 15); Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (March 17); and New Delhi (March 5 and 19). In Lucknow and Bhubaneswar, Christian and Muslim victims recounted attacks.

The last visit to India by a UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief was in 1996. Since then, India’s citizens experienced: riots targeting Muslims (Gujarat 2002); continued legalised discrimination against Dalits if they are not Hindu, Buddhist, or Sikh; the passage of several anti-conversion laws and amendments; two major outbreaks of violence against Christians during Christmas celebrations (Dangs District, Gujarat, 1998, and Kandhamal District, Orissa, 2007); and increasing attacks on Christian clergy and places of worship. In most cases, attackers were rightwing ultra-nationalist Hindu activists.

Ms. Asma Jahangir and her Geneva-based assistant, Mr. Michael Wiener, visited eight states and numerous cities. Jahangir was appointed as Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2004. Her job is to “identify existing and emerging obstacles to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion or belief and present recommendations on ways and means to overcome such obstacles.” The last India country report was released in February 1997. See: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/religion/index.htm

The All India Christian Council (www.aiccindia.org), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of thousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay leaders.

NOTE: The aicc submitted a short paper to the Special Rapporteur, and the aicc Secretary-General submitted an in-depth paper on behalf of aicc and two other organisations. These can be found at:
http://indianchristians.in/news/images/stories/christian/UN_SR_submission_by_aicc.pdf
http://indianchristians.in/news/images/stories/christian/UN_SR_memo_by_John_Dayal_March_5_2008.pdf

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