In a statement released Friday, September 26, Britain-based advocate group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said it sent letters to several officials, including European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and the EU’s foreign policy chief Javier Solana, asking them to discuss the attacks by Hindu militants.
The letters, sent ahead of a September 29 EU-India summit in France, came amid new reports of arson attacks on churches and homes of Christians, and a mob assault on a police station following the arrest of two Hindus for rioting.
Dozens of Christians have been killed in weeks of violence, which first erupted late August in the Indian state of Orissa after a Hindu leader and four of his followers were killed. Maoists claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Hindu militants said the murders were carried out by Christians.
"FORCED CONVERSIONS"
Hindu hard-line groups claim Christian missionaries are upset about Hindu opposition towards "forced conversions." Christian groups have denied the charges, saying "forced conversions are against the Bible." CSW, which has investigated the situation, also noted "ongoing coercive conversions of Christians to Hinduism."
The group told BosNewsLife it has asked the EU to make nine recommendations to the Indian government, including deploying more security forces in crisis areas, increasing pressure on officials to speed up prosecutions and convictions of militantsa and aid to thousands of displaced persons in Orissa.
"In light of the extremely serious ongoing situation in Orissa, we request that EU leaders use Monday’s Summit to raise this issue and urge the Indian government to take decisive action," said CSW Advocacy Director, Tina Lambert.
CSW said its letters also provide an assessment based on first-hand testimony from victims and eyewitnesses and the analysis of local NGO leaders, Christian leaders and Hindu civil society observers.
EU RESOLUTION
The correspondence followed a resolution adopted by the European Parliament this week expressing deep concern at the violence and urging India’s authorities "to do all in their power fully to protect the Christian minority," CSW recalled.
There was no immediate response from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country holds the EU presidency. He was to meet Monday, September 29, with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a summit focused on global warming, terrorism and the global financial crisis.
However international rights group Amnesty International said in a statement that, "a discussion on global challenges such as food security and climate change is not complete unless human rights are taken on board."
The group said it had therefore urged the EU to discuss attacks on religious minorities. and India’s retention of the death penalty and its alleged "harassment of human rights defenders."
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