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International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941
Washington DC
20006-1846
www.persecution.org
Email: icc@persecution.org
For
Immediate Release
Violence against Christians Escalates in India:
Believers
subjected to physical abuse, intimidation, false accusation, and unjust arrests
You
are free to disseminate the following news. We request that you reference ICC
(International Christian Concern) and include our web address
www.persecution.org.
(2/13/04) The Washington-DC based human rights group,
International Christian Concern (ICC)
www.persecution.org, has recently become aware of new and recent attacks
against Christians in India. In the Jhabua district of Madhya Pradeshm, there
has been an increase in attacks against believers, and many have had to flee
their homes as a result of the intensified persecution. The Christians are
living in fear of their lives. The attacks have targeted the Roman Catholic
Church, the Church of North India, and the Filadelfia Fellowship Church of
India, all of which have enjoyed peaceful relations with their Hindu neighbors
for the past 100 years. The violence directed against the Christian minority
seems to be well orchestrated to provoke hatred against Christians.
The attacks have included the savage beating of three
Catholic priests, the gang rape of a Christian woman, intimidation of children
studying in the Christian school, and looting and burning of churches, property,
and homes. Police have refused to intervene and protect the Christians, and
they have instead arrested Christians on false charges. Law and order in the
Jhabua district is completely paralyzed by these incidents which started to
occur in late 2003.
The Jhabua district where these attacks occurred is close
to the Gujarat State border, an area where similar violence against Christians
has occurred. Hindu extremist groups such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and
Bajrang Dal have a long history of fostering hate against the Christian
minority. The Gujarat State recently enacted an anti-conversion law that serves
to intimidate low caste Hindus from converting to other religions. These
recent attacks and similar events in nearby states demand the attention of the
Indian government to restore law and order in these regions.
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