As the second largest protestant denomination in the United States, representing 5 million congregants domestically and 10 million internationally, the vote is said to represent a historic statement on India’s human rights conditions from any Christian church.

The UMC vote comes in response to anti-Christian attacks that have steadily risen under the Modi regime, said those connected with the development. The Delhi-based United Christian Forum reports 720 attacks in 2023 against Christians, a stark increase from 127 in 2014 when Modi first assumed power. The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations documents 1,198 attacks, in 2022, up from 761 in 2021. International Christian Concern ranks India as the 3rd most egregious nation in its list of “persecutors of the year.”

“The UMC’s resolution is absolutely historic and the need of the hour as the Church in America must step forward with open concern and conversation about the skyrocketing persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in India,” said journalist and author Peter Friedrich.

“As the second-largest Protestant denomination in the US, the voice of the UMC on this issue is a God-send. They have set an example, and I hope other Church polities in America will follow their lead.”

The resolution makes particular mention of the persecution of Indian Christians in Manipur, which escalated earlier this year in part due to deliberate inaction on orders from the Modi regime. Hundreds of churches were burned down by mobs and hundreds killed in conflict that swept the northern region, it notes.

The resolution makes particular mention of the persecution of Indian Christians in Manipur, which escalated earlier this year

The resolution also calls on the United States government to “impose targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ assets and/ or barring their entry into the United States under human rights related financial and visa authorities, citing specific religious freedom violations.”

“This resolution makes it a priority for the United Methodist Church to advocate against the weaponization of Religion in the form of ethnonationalism, and to advocate for the human dignity and human rights of people who experience systemic persecution,” said UMC Reverend Neal Christie, who is also Executive Director of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations.

“Through this resolution, the church says we will not standby silently while people because of their faith and their conscience and their identity are not only persecuted, but are under threat of erasure because of state sponsored violence in what until now has been celebrated as the largest pluralistic democracy in the world.”

“We applaud the moral clarity and vision of our brothers and sisters at the United Methodist Church. Their decisive statement against Hindu nationalist violence sends a clear signal to the entire world: persecution of religious minorities anywhere is an affront to people everywhere,” said Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) President Mohammed Jawad.

Courtesy: CounterView

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Among the comprehensive e list of recommendations that seek to tackle the fundamental causes of religious persecution, are those that encourage international discourse to confront this urgent concern, and cultivate a society that embraces inclusivity and tolerance.

Recommendations:

“The persecution of religious minorities in India is a significant concern that requires immediate attention from the Indian government and international community. The increasing incidents of violence and discrimination against minorities have violated their basic human rights and have created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.

• The government must ensure that the rule of law is upheld and perpetrators of violence are held accountable for their actions, regardless of their political affiliation. This would help to restore confidence in the justice system and send a clear message that violence against minorities will not be tolerated.
• The government should review and repeal laws that discriminate against religious minorities, including anti-conversion laws, beef ban laws, the hijab ban, and the Citizenship Amendment Act, which has been a major source of unrest in the country. The government should take steps to protect religious sites and places of worship, which are often targeted. The government must also pass a national anti-lynching bill to protect minorities from Hindu militias and cow vigilante groups.
• BJP-led state governments must uphold every citizen’s right to a safe home and immediately stop bulldozing Muslim homes, livelihoods, and places of worship in the name of anti-encroachment drives.
• As signatories of the UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief and UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic Minorities, the international community—as well as the Indian government—has a responsibility to ensure that police effectively investigate, prosecute, and prevent instances of harassment and violence committed against Muslims and Christians.
• The government should engage in dialogue with civil society organizations, religious leaders, and members of minority communities to address their concerns and grievances. This would help to build trust and foster a sense of inclusion and belonging among all citizens.
• Regarding the weaponization of Hindu festivals across the country, local and state governments can take measures to increase security during festivals and other public events where communal tensions are likely to be high. This would involve deploying additional forces in sensitive areas, monitoring social media and other communication channels for hate speech and incitement to violence, and taking preventive measures to avoid any escalation of violence.
• There is a need for education and awareness-raising initiatives to promote interfaith harmony and understanding. Schools and universities should include teachings on religious diversity and tolerance in their curricula, and media outlets should promote positive portrayals of religious minorities to counter the negative stereotypes perpetuated by some extremist groups.
• The President of the U.S. can place sanctions on individuals who have committed, directly aided, or are complicit in gross human rights violations through the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The Biden administration should impose sanctions on leaders and members of Hindu militant groups. The U.S. Department of State should accept the USCIRF’s recommendation to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its egregious violations of human rights and religious freedoms”

The rest of the report may be read here:

Related:

BJP has strayed away from Nehruvian vales of secularism: IAMC report

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