This plea in the form of an open letter to the CBCI also strongly suggests that 100 Cardinals/Archbishops/Bishops visit Manipur for at least  two days before June 25 and spotlight the miseries of the people of that state.

The Open Letter (full text below) also highlights “several other pre-mediated attacks, the venomous hate speeches and other forms of violence on the Christians of Madhya Pradesh (especially in Sagar and Jabalpur), in Chhattisgarh (on June 6 a newly professed Catholic nun, her mother and others were falsely arrested from a thanksgiving Mass in the Jashpur Diocese, for apparently ‘offending religious sentiments’) and in several other parts of India; all these take place with a frightening regularity. Nothing happens to the perpetrators of these heinous crimes who do so with impunity.” Father Cedric in this letter states also that “there is sufficient evidence, after painstaking research done by completely objective and professional individuals and groups, that the acts of these perpetrators are motivated, given legitimacy and immunity by the most powerful of the land.”

On Manipur, the letter states that there is “systematic targeting killing of the tribals and Christians, the destruction of Churches and Christian institutions is nothing short of being barbaric; facts and figures speak for themselves. Thousands of people who lived in the hilly areas of Manipur, have fled their homes and lands and taken refuge in temporary shelters. The tribals and Christians of Manipur long for a sustainable peace based on their legitimate and just demands. One does not have to be a rocket- scientist to know and understand why this current violence is taking place and who is behind it!”

Apart from the national media conference, the letter urges that the CBCI call for a National Protest Day in the month of June 2023 to highlight what is happening to the minorities, the Adivasis, the Dalits and the other vulnerable groups of the country. It is time also that the CBCI demands the “immediate removal of Priyank Kanoongo, the President of the National Commission for the Rights of the Child, for targeting Christian institutions and making fabricated and unsubstantiated allegations against Christian personnel”

The Full Text of the letter may be read here:

 Dear Bishops….!

To: Most Rev. Andrews Thazhath, President; to ALL Office-Bearers and ALL Members

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI)

Your Eminences, Your Excellencies, Your Lordships,

Greetings to each one of you!

This letter is being personally addressed to each one of you; my apologies for doing so through one common email!

A little over three years ago, on February 12, 2020, I wrote a letter to all the Bishops of India (THANKS once again to all those who replied to me). (The longer version has parts of the 2020 letter with extracts from the CBCI General Assembly Statements of 2012, 2014, 2016 & 2018).

 Today, my dear Cardinals and Bishops: the people of India: the excluded and the exploited, the other marginalized and the minorities, particularly the Christians, cry out to you: they need your prophetic voice, they need you to be visible in taking a stand for truth and justice, in being a true and good Shepherd just like Jesus- ready and willing to lay down one’s life!

What is happening in Manipur, since more than a month now, to the tribals and particularly to the Christians there, is a crime against humanity! The systematic targeting killing of the tribals and Christians, the destruction of Churches and Christian institutions is nothing short of being barbaric; facts and figures speak for themselves. Thousands of people who lived in the hilly areas of Manipur, have fled their homes and lands and taken refuge in temporary shelters. The ethnic cleansing that is currently taking place, in complete connivance with those in power draw a striking parallel to the Gujarat Genocide (when Muslims were the victims) which began in February 2002 and which lasted for several months. The tribals and Christians of Manipur long for a sustainable peace based on their legitimate and just demands. One does not have to be a rocket- scientist to know and understand why this current violence is taking place and who is behind it!

There are several other pre-mediated attacks, the venomous hate speeches and other forms of violence on the Christians of Madhya Pradesh (especially in Sagar and Jabalpur), in Chhattisgarh (on 6 June a newly professed Catholic nun, her mother and others were falsely arrested from a thanksgiving Mass in the Jashpur Diocese, for apparently ‘offending religious sentiments’) and in several other parts of India; all these take place with a frightening regularity. Nothing happens to the perpetrators of these heinous crimes who do so with impunity. There is sufficient evidence, after painstaking research done by completely objective and professional individuals and groups, that the acts of these perpetrators are motivated, given legitimacy and immunity by the most powerful of the land. This is certainly no ‘State Secret’! In several cases, the victims are made the ‘criminals’, have false cases foisted on them and are even incarcerated; examples are plenty.

Besides there are many other instances today of how the pluralistic and democratic fabric of the country is being destroyed; of how the fundamentals of our Constitution (which are also values enshrined in the Gospel of Jesus) are being trampled upon; of anti-people policies and legislation which effectively cater to a small privileged section of society. We are all aware of how the poor and marginalized are denied their legitimate rights; of how the environment and our fragile eco-systems are being pillaged for the profiteering of a few; of how minorities are being denigrated, demonized and being discriminated against. Above all, of how corruption and crony capitalism is throttling the nation. The list is endless indeed!

We humbly have to admit, that despite the Synodal process which is underway, the Church in India is by and large still hierarchical, patriarchal and clerical. Therefore, in view of the above, I am writing this letter with great pain, to you my dear Bishops, to ACT NOW, before it is too late! Certainly, we all must pray and without ceasing; but Jesus also reminds us that “not all who say Lord, Lord….”. We are all intelligent enough to DO what we are expected to do. Unfortunately, your Collective Silence, Screams! Many wonder why! Thankfully, some Bishops, some Catholic religious leaders and also some laity, have shown prophetic courage by taking visible and vocal stands on critical issues including the violence in Manipur! There is no doubt about that: once certainly needs to salute them and particularly for risking their lives in the face of much hostility!

Here are some suggestions (even if they sound preposterous) which may help restore the confidence of the people in the hierarchy, may help in bringing back some peace to the suffering people of Manipur and hopefully, may also address some of the systemic issues which plague the nation:

1. Call a Media Conference immediately: this has to be done in the National Capital Delhi and also simultaneously in every State Capital. The Media Conference in the Capital must be addressed by the CBCI Office bearers. The demands should include:
2. a) restoration of peace in Manipur immediately;
3. b) safe return of all tribals/Christians ousted from their land and homes;
4. c) adequate monetary compensation for rebuilding homes, Churches, institutions destroyed;
5. d) book and punish all responsible for the violence (even if they have powerful connections)
6. As many as possible of you (even 100!) Cardinals/Archbishops/Bishops go to Manipur – for at least two days before 25 June. Invite Christian Leaders of other denominations to join you. Stay in the midst of those who are internally displaced; as Pope Francis constantly reminds us “smell of the sheep”; after all, Jesus was born in a stable and died on the cross. Your presence in the midst of the suffering people will send a strong message to all

iii.            Organise a National Protest Day in this month of June– to highlight what is happening to the minorities, the Adivasis, the Dalits and the other vulnerable groups of the country. Have a huge gathering in a public maidan in New Delhi – with as many Bishops as possible and people coming from all over the country.  Request other civil society groups. /Movements to join in; On this National Protest Day – let there also be public protests in all Dioceses of the country.

1. Demand the immediate removal of Priyank Kanoongo, the President of the National Commission for the Rights of the Child, for targeting Christian institutions and making fabricated and unsubstantiated allegations against Christian personnel

Dear Bishops, it is important that you act now with decisiveness and with cohesiveness; it will go a long way in addressing some of the critical issues of today! Hobnobbing with those who rule us today, may bring ‘some token and temporary promises’; but in the long-run however, there will be serious repercussions and irretrievable damage done both to the Church and to the secular, democratic character of our country! Please do not be fooled! (The longer version has quotes from Pope Francis’ ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ and ‘Fratelli Tutti’ which asks her to be engaged in the grim realities of today and when needed to raise prophetic voices) The directions from the Holy Father are clear… why do we fight shy of ensuring their implementation? There is much more to be written but I will stop here, once again making that plea which I made at the beginning: dear Bishops, please be Shepherds responding to the cries of the suffering people now. We all need to be reminded of those immortal words of German Pastor Martin Niemoller, “Then they came for me, and there was no one left, to speak out for me!”  Speak out now collectively and individually; speak out strongly for our suffering sisters and brothers!

Assuring you of my prayers for you, dear Bishops, I crave your blessings and prayers. I also look forward to your response to this letter. Thanks, in anticipation! Yours in Him,

 Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ

 (This is however, an ABRIDGED version of the much longer letter)

Related:

‘Abide With Me’ will Stay Forever!

Bashing Christians in India

Wider “WE” is Witness!

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There are three months to go before 2020 ends, and already over 450 cases of attacks on the Chrsitian minority community have been recorded by Persecution Relief, an organisation that provides support to persecuted Christians in India and records hate crimes against the community.

From August 2020 to October 2020, Persecution Relief recorded 157 cases of such hate crimes. Its quarterly report released today lists these crimes to include 4 murders, 46 attacks, 32 crimes against women, 43 false complaints against Christians, 45 cases of ‘collusion of authority’, 22 boycotts, 20 church attacks, and 21 unjust arrests. According to  Persecution Relief founder Shibu Thomas, these are just what they have records of, there may be many more cases that have gone unreported.

Uttar Pradesh is at the top of the three Indian states with most attacks on the community. In UP, stated the report, 27 allegations of anti-Christians attacks have been recorded by the organisation between July to September 2020. Chhattisgarh with 16 cases comes in second, while Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand share the third spot with 14 anti-Christians attacks. All this in the last three months!

As talks of an ‘Anti-Conversion law’ are doing the rounds, the organisation has written an Open Letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to prevent such a draconian law from being passed.

According to Thomas, Tribal and Dalit Christians are one of the most persecuted Christian groups in the country. The report details a recent case where 15 homes were destroyed and 11 Tribal Christian families were boycotted for their faith. “Although inexhaustive, as many cases of Christian persecution are not reported due to fear, these numbers conclude that two Christians are persecuted for their faith in India, everyday! This must not be taken lightly! The conspiracies against the Christian minority in India have now become innumerable and inconceivable. Be it the amendment of the Constitution, the New Education Policy, rumors of the National Anti-Conversion Law, discrimination of Dalit Christians, hate campaigns on social media, our authorities are leaving no stone unturned,” said Shibu Thomas in a statement that accompanied the report. Between January 2016 to August 2020, they recorded over 2100 cases of hate crimes against Christians in India. 

The report may be read here: 

Related: 

Conversions and anti-Christian violence in India
Dear Mark Zuckerberg, time to speak up against hate speech on Facebook
Anti-Christian hate crimes up 40.87 percent in India: Report
US slams India yet again on subject of religious freedom
They abused us, asked us to worship their idols: Christians attacked in UP
Environment of targeted hate and violence against Christians: Report

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And in the wise words of Rehman Bhai, our fruit man in Alibag: #HumSabInsaanHain

The post #IamChristian #IamMuslim #IamHindu #IamSikh #IamParsi… appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Christians Flee Sinai As 'Islamic State' Insurgency Emerges

Since the end of January at least seven people have been attacked and killed in the provincial capital, El Arish. Five were shot, one was beheaded, and one burnt to death.

Other Christians in the area say they have received threats by mobile phone and "death lists" have been circulated online. A video issued last week by a local IS affiliate vowed to step up attacks, describing the Christians as "infidels" empowering the West against Muslims.

The authorities have been battling against jihadists in northern Sinai for several years but with limited success. A statement from President Sisi's office on Thursday said he has now given orders to "completely eradicate" them.

Although Sinai is a special case and the killings there have been particularly terrifying for Christian residents, sectarian conflict elsewhere in Egypt is not uncommon. Last December the bombing of a Coptic cathedral in Cairo left 25 dead. Country-wide, the Eshhad website has documented almost 500 incidents of various kinds since mid-2012.

Besides violence against people they include attacks on homes and churches.

The automatic response of the authorities to such attacks is to try to restore calm as quickly as possible, but that can only be a short-term fix. Successive Egyptian governments have been reluctant to confront the underlying problem of religious discrimination. That is not very surprising because the state itself institutionalises discrimination to some extent – which in turn tends to legitimise discriminatory actions by individuals.

Commenting on the the cathedral bombing in December, Timothy Kaldas, a visiting professor at Nile University in Cairo, wrote:

"While the vast majority of Egyptians rightfully condemns the murder of 25 worshippers at Sunday mass, other beliefs are pervasive, beliefs that perpetuate sectarianism throughout society and have been behind a majority of the violent sectarian attacks throughout the country. A majority of the country does not even accept that Christian citizens should have the right to build houses of worship as easily as Muslims can build mosques … 

"The church building law passed in September maintains a set of rules and regulations for any sort of renovation and construction of a Christian house of worship, rules that mosques do not have to comply with. The different standards – and in the case of Christians, the more restrictive standards – drive structural and state-sanctioned inequality …

"When the state sets sectarianism as its example, it’s hardly surprising that society follows suit. Indeed, sectarian laws surrounding church building have been used as a pretext by vigilantes in rural areas to justify their attacks on Christian places of worship, whether they are private homes used to host prayers or churches seeking to renovate or repair their premises. Attackers often cite the restrictions on church building when defending their actions. The perpetrators frequently escape criminal prosecution, through either the use of reconciliation councils or through overall impunity."

Reconciliation councils – often used as part of the "calming" process after an incident – tend to favour the Muslim majority, often perpetuate injustices rather than resolving them and sometimes make rulings that are contrary to Egyptian law. A report by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights in 2015 described them as "a major factor contributing to the recurrence of sectarian attacks".

Coupled with that are perceptions that the authorities do too little to protect Christians under threat and/or fail to take robust action against attackers. The most recent report on religious freedom in Egypt the US State Department noted:

"The government frequently failed to prevent, investigate, or prosecute crimes targeting members of religious minority groups, which fostered a climate of impunity, according to a prominent local rights organisation. The government often failed to protect Christians targeted by kidnappings and extortion according to sources in the Christian community, and there were reports that security and police officials sometimes failed to respond to these crimes, especially in Upper Egypt."

There are also less conspicuous forms of discrimination. Christians in Egypt are thought to account for about 10% of the population but are clearly under-represented in some key areas. The State Department 's report said:

"The government discriminated against religious minorities in public sector hiring and staff appointments to public universities, according to academic sources. They also stated no Christians served as presidents of the country’s 17 public universities and few Christians occupied dean or vice dean positions in the public university system. 

"Only Muslims could study at Al-Azhar University, a publicly funded institution. Additionally, the government barred non-Muslims from employment in public university training programs for Arabic language teachers because the curriculum involves study of the Quran.

"The total number of members of parliament was 596, of whom 568 were elected, including 120 chosen through coalition or party lists, and 28 were appointed by President Sisi. Thirty-six Christians were elected to parliament, and two were appointed."

Sectarianism in Egypt is unlikely to decline unless the government takes a clear lead in combating discrimination but that is probably too much to expect so long as the government remains complicit.

This story was first published on al-Bab.
 

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