End this harassment
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.) |
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