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For more information, contact:
Dr. John Dayal, aicc Secretary General
For Immediate Release
Security of Minorities tops Christian demands from political parties in General Elections
Community seeks economic uplifting, rehabilitation of the victims of Orissa violence, judicial commission to assess deprivation, restoration of Dalit Christian rights
NEW DELHI -- March 2, 2009: Top leaders of the aicc participated in several inter-denominational meetings for Christians in New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and other cities in the last few weeks. Christian leaders broadly agreed to a list of concerns and goals which will be presented to political parties. Below is a statement and memorandum issued after the New Delhi consultation on February 23, 2009. This particular meeting also approved a list of recommendations for rehabilitation of Orissa's victims of 2007-2008 anti-Christian violence which had previously been signed by numerous leading Christian and non-Christian organisations.
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The Church in India has called upon all people, and specially Christians, to fully take part in the political democratic process, including exercising their voting rights in the coming General Elections.
The Community leadership which met in National Consultations in New Delhi last week reaffirmed its faith in democracy. It wants India to be strong and condemns terrorism, communalism, and casteism. It is deeply concerned at the rural crisis, urban poverty, and rise in unemployment, displacement in the SEZs and the plight of women and the girl child.
The Church and the Christian Community also feels that democracy is strengthened if political parties speak out against corruption and communalism, human exploitation and assault on the dignity of women, Dalits, labour, children and minorities.
The Christian community puts its own interests subservient to the interests of the Nation. But it feels that there are certain issues which are paramount – security of Religious Minorities, ending persecution of Christians in Orissa and other places, and punishment of those found guilty, rehabilitation of the displaced, compensation to the victims at par with that given in other states, proportionate share to Christians in funds and projects earmarked for all minorities, as also in government jobs, civil services, police and other services.
The community has also demanded a National Commission on the lines of the Justice Rajender Sachhar for Muslims set up by the Union government to assess the economic deprivation of Dalit Christians, landless labour and tribals Christians, in particular.
The consultations were presided over by Archbishop Vincent Concessao. Participants included representatives from the Catholic Church, the National Council of Churches in India, the All India Christian Council, the All India Catholic Union, the Believers Church, Truthseekers International, Evangelical Fellowship of India, United Christian Action, and Independent and Pentecost Churches. Prominent signatories included Bishop Mar Barnabas of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church, Bishop Simon John of the Believers Church, Dr. John Dayal, Member, National Integration Council, Government of India, and Secretary General, All India Christian Council, aicc national secretary Sam Paul, Rev. Sunil Sardar, Mr. Vijayesh Lal and Advocate Lalsinglau.
The full text of the memorandum which will be presented to all political parties reads:
Christian community’s expectations from Political Parties in the General Elections 2009: Memorandum to Political parties and candidates
2nd March 2009
Preamble:
The Church reaffirms its strong commitment to Secularism and Democracy in India. The Christian Community thanks God for the renewal of the Republic through regular General Elections since the Constitution was adopted on 26 January 1950, bringing to fruition the full promise of the political Independence won on 15 August 1947 after a determined Freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Our sturdy Republic has survived four wars and numerous internal crises, natural disasters and the ups and downs of the passing years. It has been buffeted by communal fires, and shaken by the impact of globalisation and the economic meltdown. The frightening rise in unemployment and the gloom in the economic sector impact on all citizens, irrespective of their religion, caste or gender, though as always, it is the weaker and the marginalised who bear the maximum brunt of the ravages of an economic downtrend. The crisis in Rural India is monumental and demands urgent action. So does urban poverty. We pray our country will recover quickly from the current travails and the people will be able to once again look to a brighter future.
Unfortunately, the economic crisis has been aggravated by a social crisis no less grave. Religious, caste and gender intolerance are manifestations of this. The sharp rise of Communal forces and the macabre nature of the violence unleashed by them are cause for deep concern.
The General Elections, 2009, is an opportunity to halt the trend, and to reverse the negativity.
It is in this context that Christian leaders, intellectuals and thinkers met in New Delhi on 23rd February 2009 to consider the issues affecting the people and the nation. While we remain concerned for all our countrymen, there are a few issues that impact specifically on the Christian community. We are small in numbers, but we make an impact on the nation through services in Education, social work and Health, and as the voice of the marginalised and oppressed. We have hope in the democratic process, and in the goodwill of the political parties, their leaders, and their prospective candidates.
Call to Political Parties and Candidates:
We call upon the Christian community to play its full part in the Election process. We must come out and cast our vote to strengthen democracy and secularism in the country. Christian activists and NGOs must ensure that our names are listed in the electoral rolls, and if not, make the necessary effort to enrol all eligible Christians as voters. We also urge all Political Parties to give adequate representation to our community in their selection of Candidates.
Political parties must also include the following issues, and address our concerns, in their Election Manifestos and campaigns, and to also keep these in mind in the selection of their nominees for the various constituencies.
1. Security of Religious Minorities:
The Christian community had felt itself very safe in India since Independence, and the formative years of the democracy under Jawaharlal Nehru, and then under the premiership of Lal Bahadur Shashtri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. But after a spurt of violence in 1998-1999, hate crimes against the Church and the Christian community have been increasing alarmingly since 1997, averaging about 250 incidents a year. But 2007 and 2008 have seen such violence reach an unprecedented level. The violence has not been confined to Orissa. Fourteen other States have been affected, seven seriously. Karnataka is now second only to Orissa in crimes against Christians. Orissa in 2008 saw 120 deaths, 4,600 houses burnt, over 300 villages purged of Christians, and women, including religious women, raped. Six thousand men, women and children are still in government refugee camps, from the peak of 26,000. Battalions of Central forces are needed to maintain peace, and yet a sense of deep insecurity permeates the community in Orissa. All political parties must put the security of all Religious Minorities, and especially of the Christian community, at the top of their electoral agenda. Parties must assure they will bring the culprits of crimes in Orissa and Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, to book, and ensure that the unceasing hate and disinformation campaign, through media and political activities, is brought to an end.
2. Enforcing rule of law, ending Impunity of state, Police and criminal justice dispensation system in assuring Freedom of Faith: In State after State, the community has watched in utter helplessness uniformed Policemen accompany assailants attacking institutions, churches and house churches. In States such as Manipur, even villages have dared pass laws against Christians, banning conversions and excommunicating people. Pastors and Priests have been arrested on false charges, denied bail, and harassed. Often, the police have stood by while Priests, pastors and Lay persons were beaten up, often in the glare of Television Cameras. The Subordinate magistracy and judiciary have often been partisan in their conduct. This impunity must end. The proposed Prevention of Communal Violence Bill must take cognisance of Christian concerns and apprehensions. Government must take responsibility, punish the guilty, reconstruct damaged and destroyed homes, institutions and churches, and provide adequate and commensurate compensation to the victims. These would be deterrent, in fact, to violence against the community.
3. Redress Economic deprivation and reversal of Unemployment and under-employment amongst Christian youth—Need for a National Commission on the lines of the Justice Rajender Sachhar Commission set up for Muslims: There is over 8 [Eight] per cent joblessness amongst Christian youth, the highest among minorities. Tribal Christian girls are amongst the most deprived in terms of education and nourishment. Rural employment generation schemes and central special components for marginalised groups do not reach their Christian counterparts in Tribal and Rural India There is no real assessment as to what extent institutions such as the National Minorities Financial Development Corporation, or sundry scholarship schemes have benefitted the Christian community even if they may have benefited some other Minorities. Political parties must assure that Government will urgently set up a Commission to survey and assess the quantum of deprivation, marginalisation and lack of devolution of developmental initiatives, to the Christian community. Government must ensure fair spending on a pro rata basis on the Christian community from schemed meant to benefit the minority communities. They must assure the setting up of a National Commission under a retired Judge to evaluate the economic and development issues of the Christian religious minority, especially amongst sections amongst Dalits, Tribals, Landless labour and marginal farmers, coastal and fishery workers and urban youth.
4. Dalit Christian rights: Successive governments have betrayed Christians of Dalit origin. The Constitution of 1950 provided for affirmative action for Scheduled Castes without reference to religion. The Presidential Order of 1950, subsequently made into law, communalised the affirmative action by penalising those who converted to other faiths. Subsequently, government extended the privileges once again to Sikhs and Buddhists of Dalit origin. Christians remain deprived of these rights, though several Study Groups and National Commissions have strongly recommended that these rights be given to Dalit Christians. This in effect communalises the secular Indian Constitution. Political parties must reassure Dalit Christians that Government will immediately restore the Constitution to its 26 January 1950 position on this issue so that Dalit Christians get all privileges and safeguards that are given to their brothers and sisters professing other faiths. The recommendations of the Justice Rang Nath Misra Commission should be implemented.
5. Assault on right of Tribal Christians: Strident and frightening statements have been made in political quarters in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, among others, threatening to deny Christian Tribals their statutory rights in Education, land and employment, and to restrict Tribal rights to only those who convert to Hinduism. This violates Constitutional guarantees, and divided the Tribal people. Political parties must guarantee that they will not dilute any Tribal right, but in fact will work to ensure steps that strengthen the rights of the Tribal communities across the country.
6. Irrational and Bigoted implementation of Forest Act and its implications for Dalit Christians: Recent experience in Orissa’s Kandhamal and other districts have shown how Supreme Court guidelines are being ignored in the implementation of the Forest Act, and traditional forest dwellers, many of them Dalits, are being deprived of their land, livelihood and even liberty as false cases are being brought against them. This, of course, must cease forthwith. Political parties must assure that the right of all indigenous dwellers will be protected according to the guidelines of the Supreme Court and witch-hunt and harassment will end.
7. Erosion of Minority rights under Article 30: Various State governments and political parties have tried to infringe upon Article 30, and have made persistent efforts to erode the rights of Minorities to run and administer educational institutions. Christian educational institutions have frequently had to approach the Supreme Court of India to try to protect these fundamental rights. The ironically titled Freedom of Religion Bills actually erodes the Constitutional right to Freedom to profess, practice and propagate faith. They have become instruments of persecution, and in fact, provide an excuse for criminal and communal elements to target the Church and Christian workers in particular when they exercise their right to propagate their faith. Political parties must assure there will be no effort in the future to infringe upon, erode, or nibble at Minority educational and other Constitutional rights under any pretext.
8. Shrinking Secular-Spiritual Space: State and city administrations are auctioning land for schools and hospitals in the Open Market. The result is that the Church and Voluntary sector can no longer get legal possession of low cost land for providing Educational and health facilities to the marginalised groups are affordable prices. In addition, new townships and urban spaces, most of them now in the private sector, do not provide for simple and basic Secular spaces, including plots of land for Churches and cemeteries. In many new urban conglomerates in the emerging landscape, there is, in fact, no provision for cemeteries at all. Political parties must assure their Governments will ensure adequate and commensurate Secular and Spiritual Space – Education land, cemeteries etc
9. Ending gender-bias and upholding the rights of women in reforms in Christian Personal Laws: Christian Women more than a decade ago led a campaign for reforms in Christian personal laws which dated from the Nineteenth Century. Though some progress has been made, Governments have been tardy in passing reform amendments to the centuries' old Christian personal laws despite the united endorsement and support by the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, the National Council of Churches, the Joint Women’s Programme and others. Political parties must assure the community that laws will reformed in full as devised in the documents prepared by the united Christian campaign to bring them in line with contemporary demands of gender rights.
10. The Church and the Community uphold the sanctity of life and any attempt to destroy it at any stage is unacceptable. Advances and research in science, such as stem cell research, cloning, transplants, must be in consonance with ethical and moral values. Legislation must not be passed which compromises human life in any form and which justifies meddling with the established processes in nature in the guise of scientific research.
Signed by those present:
Archbishop Vincent Concessao, Archbishop of Delhi
Bishop Jacob Mar Barabbas, Bishop, Malankara Catholic Church
Bishop Simon John, Believers Church Delhi Diocese
Dr. John Dayal, Member, National Integration Council, Government of India; Secretary General, All India Christian Council; President, United Christian Action
Dr. Sam Paul, National Secretary, All India Christian Council, Hyderabad
Ms. Anjina Masih, National Council of Churches in India
Mr. S. Raju, Church of North India
Vijayesh Lal, Secretary, Evangelical Fellowship of India, New Delhi
Advocate Jenis Francis, President, Federation of Catholic Associations, Archdiocese of Delhi [Affiliated to the All India Catholic Union]
Eugene Gonsalves, President, Catholic Association of Bengal, Kolkata
Rev. Sunil Sardar, President, Truthseekers International, New Delhi
Advocate Ms. Lanshinglu Rongmei, Christian Legal Association, New Delhi
Advocate Edward Arokio Doss, President, National Dalit Rights Movement, Madurai
Joseph Dias, Secretary General, Catholic Secular Forum, Mumbai
Pr. Abraham Sahu, President, aicc, Delhi Chapter
Rev. Madhu Chandra, aicc, New Delhi
Pr. H. T. Mawizuala, New Delhi
Ps. Laji Paul, Joint Secretary aicc, Delhi Chapter
Pr. G. Johnson, New Delhi
Fr. John Vargis, New Delhi
Pr. G.L. George, aicc New Delhi
Pr. Victor Das, aicc Faridabad, Haryana
Rev. David Burder, New Delhi
Rev. M. K. Babu, Editor, Praise the Almighty, New Delhi
Pr. Paul Prasad, New Delhi
Rev. Sanjesh Kumar, DBI |
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