The All India Christian Council expresses its deep concern at the victimisation of human rights defenders Binayak Sen, Teesta Setalvad and others


New Delhi, January 1, 2011: The All India Christian Council  (AICC) today expressed deepdistress at the systematic tar geting and persecution of human rights defenders by government agencies as well as by organised groups. Christian Council leaders said India’s future as a vibrant secular democracy requires an abiding commitment to the civil liberties and human dignity of its citizens. 

In a New Year statement to the nation, the AICC president and leadership also listed erosion of freedom of faith and disregard of special rights for vulnerable sections such as tribals and Dalits as major issues facing India – not just in the new year 2011 – but the second decade of the 21st century. The Christian Council wished all fellow citizens peace, security and a share in the national prosperity. 

“Freedom of faith and human rights were special victims in the last year and the last decade. We recall the anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat in 2002 and the preplanned mass violence against Christians in Kandhamal and other districts of Orissa as well as Karnataka,” said Dr Joseph D’souza, AICC president. D’souza urged the union government to proactively resolve the unprecedented prison term for humanist Dr Binayak Sen and to bring to an end the harassment of brave activist Ms Teesta Setalvad who is currently targeted by both state and right-wing fundamentalist organisations.  

Dr John Dayal, AICC secretary general, said, “It is tragic that a great republic such as India doesn’t have a sufficiently strong civil society and civil liberty mass movements which are required to monitor fault lines and lacunae in the administration of justice. A few daring individuals – at great risk to their own lives – and a handful of human rights groups have kept alive the spirit of the Constitution and taken up the cause of the common man victimised by extremist groups or a power-crazed governance system. People such as Binayak Sen and Teesta kept alive the pursuit of justice for the victims.” The Christian Council paid tributes to several activists who passed away last year, including Bhagwan Das of the Dalit movement, socialist leader Surendra Mohan and People’s Union for Civil Liberties’ Advocate Kannabiran. 

Dr Dayal said, “We call upon the government to ensure that a bill against communal violence is brought before Parliament which fully addresses the fears of micro-minorities such as the Christians in India. The Christian Council fully supports the demands of Dalit Christians and Muslims and we hope the government and Supreme Court grant them justice in 2011.”  
“It is high time that the government makes three structural changes to strengthen justice mechanisms in India. It should bring forth legislation establishing an Equal Opportunities Commission, set up a study group along the lines of the Sachar Committee to study the economic and social conditions of all strata of the Christian community in every part of the country and strengthen the National Commission for Minorities. The 12th five-year plan must also reflect our needs, aspirations and hopes,” said Dr Dayal. 

The All India Christian Council plans to organise a series of seminars and consultations on these issues to educate the community and to keep the union government, Planning Commission and state authorities abreast of issues crucial to the 26 million Christians in India.
 
(The All India Christian Council, birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities and the oppressed castes; website: www.christiancouncil.in.)

Blatant attempts at intimidation Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Rajasthan, stresses the need for vigilance across the country to protect activists, human rights defenders and democracy itself January 9, 2011: We are extremely concerned and distressed to hear reports that Teesta Setalvad, Advocate MM Tirmizi and others are being victimised for their steadfast effort to take judicial proceedings against the perpetrators of the communal riots that took place in Gujarat in 2002 to their logical conclusion. We are very disturbed to hear that they fear for their lives and are anxious for their safety. It is very unfortunate that the very state that should be offering them protection and should see them as partners in ensuring justice is done, is harassing them. We urge the government in the strongest possible way to ensure that no harm through malicious intent comes their way. The trial on the 2002 Gujarat communal riots is near its end and so this harassment has clearly been timed to intimidate Citizens for Justice and Peace, who have been fighting for the victims. One must also take cognisance of the fact that similar to the unjustified persecution of Binayak Sen, this also seems to be an attempt to pass a message to others not to come out in support of human rights and victims of injustice. The conviction of Binayak Sen for sedition and treason has implications well beyond the state of Chhattisgarh. That voices of dissent are being forcefully stamped out by the state through such coercive means and intimidation in different states in India shows the need for vigilance across the country to protect activists, human rights defenders and democracy itself. Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, Shankar Singh and Bhanwar Meghwanshi, MKSS (Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Rajasthan, is a non-party people’s organisation working towards a just and equal society; email: [email protected]; website: www.mkssindia.org.)