NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASIAN INDIAN CHRISTIANS IN THE USA

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASIAN INDIAN

CHRISTIANS IN THE USA, INC.

(NAAIC)

An ecumenical organization of Indian American Christians since 1991

Rev. Dr. Nehemiah Thompson, General Secretary

1602 Plainfield Ave, South Plainfield, NJ 07080

908-756-1044; E-mail: Thompson3000@att.net

Website: www.indian-christian .org

October 11, 2008

Dr. Navi Pillay

High Commissioner for Human Rights

OHCHR-UNOG

8 – 14 Avenue de la Paix

1211 Geneva 10

Switzerland

Sir,

Greetings from thousands of Indian Americans representing NAAIC, Gujarat Christian Federation, Indian Christian Forum, St. Thomas Ecumenical Federation, New Jersey Ecumenical Christian Fellowship, several other organizations, U.S. Human Rights community, and the U.S. Christian community along with the  General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., who have gathered at the United Nations Plaza on October 11, 2008, submit the following for your serious consideration.

We are very concerned about the anti-Christian and anti-Dalit violence being perpetrated by the Sangh Parivar ( A group of organizations of caste supremacists) in Orissa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu, India. This violence against Christians is reaching almost the level of genocide. It seems that the Sangh Parivar does want to eliminate the Christian community from India. They seem to object any economic and educational progress that the Dalit people are making in India. It also appears to be their national campaign which is consistent with their historical violent atrocities in many states of India especially Gujarat. This makes us to conclude that their violent campaign will continue until they achieve a ‘Hindu Nation.’ Although India is a Hindu nation having 85% of her citizens being Hindus, the Sangh Parivar’s definition of Hindu Nation is a nation of outdated four caste system and untouchability. They will not rest until the untouchability is back. We are convinced that this conflict is not between Hindus and Christians, it is between Hindutva castists and Indian people, 2500 years old battle.

We are also very concerned about the slow and complacent manner by which the state government of Orissa and the Center responded to the crisis in Orissa. Because of this inaction by the government the atrocities of death and destruction continued many weeks, something that could have been prevented within the initial week. Now the violence of Sangh Parivar is spreading to other districts of Orissa and other states of India.

Therefore we urge you to:

a, Include India in the category of Sudan, and other countries of human rights interest and investigate the human rights violations in India by the fascism of the Sangh Parivar and initiate a hearing on India and make appropriate recommendations to the Indian government.

b, Considering a long history of violence including the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and having been banned twice since independence we believe that the Sangh Parivar qualifies to be categorized a terrorist groups. Because we are aware that the agenda of the Rashtrya Seva Sangh, commonly called RSS, the mother agency of the Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal is to slowly eliminate Christians who defy caste. The RSS wants to bring untouchability back to Indian society.

C, Several state governments in India have passed anti-conversion laws in direct violation of human rights that the Supreme Court of India has not been able to strike down.  This is a serious matter. This warrants the Human Rights Commission of the U.N. to involve in India before it is too late.

We hope that you will take these concerns seriously and save the world’s largest democracy from being disfigured by certain unscrupulous caste supremacists.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Nehemiah Thompson

General Secretary

National Association of Asian Indian Christians in the U.S.A., Inc

1602 Plainfield Ave

South Plainfield, NJ 07080. USA.

Phone: 908-756-1044

E-mail: Thompson3000@att.net

Gujarat Christian Federation

Indian Christian Forum

New Jersey Ecumenical Christian Fellowship

St. Thomas Ecumenical Federation

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASIAN INDIAN

CHRISTIANS IN THE USA, INC.

(NAAIC)

An ecumenical organization of Indian American Christians since 1991

Rev. Dr. Nehemiah Thompson, General Secratary

1602 Plainfield Ave,  South Plainfield, NJ 07080

908-756-1044; E-mail: Thompson3000@att.net

Website: www.indian-christian .org

OCTOBER 11, 2008

To

Sri. Dr. Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister of India

Room Number 152

South Block

New Delhi, India

Through:

Honorable Consul General of India

New York

Sir,

Greetings from thousands of Indian Americans representing NAAIC, Gujarat Christian Federation, Indian Christian Forum, St. Thomas Ecumenical Federation, New Jersey Ecumenical Christian fellowship and several other organizations and the Human Rights community of the United States and the U.S. Christian community that gathered on the United Nations Plaza on October 11, 2008 submit the following for your quick consideration and prompt disposal.

We are very concerned about the anti-Christian and anti-Dalit violence being perpetrated by the Sangh Parivar in Orissa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamilnadu. This violence against Christians is reaching almost the level of genocide. It seems that the Sangh Parivar does want to eliminate Christian community from India. They seem to object any economic and educational progress that the Dalit people are making in India. It also appears to be their national campaign which is consistent with their historical violent atrocities in many states of India especially Gujarat. This makes us to conclude that their violent campaign will continue until they achieve a ‘Hindu Nation.’ Although India is a Hindu nation having 85% of her citizens being Hindus, the Sangh Parivar’s definition of Hindu Nation is a nation of outdated four caste system and untouchability. They will not rest until the untouchability is back. We are convinced that this conflict is not between Hindus and Christians; it is between Hindutva castists and Indian people, a 2500 years old battle.

We are also very concerned about the slow and complacent manner by which the state government of Orissa and the Center responded to the crisis in Orissa. Because of this inaction by the government the carnage of death and destruction continued many weeks, something that could have been prevented within the initial week. Now the violence of the Sangh Parivar is spreading to other districts of Orissa and other states of India. We are dismayed that you did not dismiss the Orissa government for its inaction and in many cases complete breakdown of law and order where the thugs and criminals took over the streets of Kandammal district. You should have dismissed Orissa government as a deterrent to other states.

We urge you, considering the permanent nature of the Sangh’s campaign and their attitude toward religious minorities, oppressed castes, Hindu Dalits and Tribals, to establish a national policy of immediate and swift intervention by the Center to prevent any violence from continuing for the second day and arrest the criminals immediately and punish them severely and direct the policy to all the states especially Gujarat and Orissa that have a long history of state supported anti-minority violence. Please introduce appropriate legislations in Parliament immediately.

It is incumbent upon you to ban the Sangh Parivar so that they do not pursue anti-Indian activities and never again will they terrorize the Indian people.

We also urge you to start a national campaign through universities, schools, temples, churches, and all organizations about tolerance, freedom human rights, Gandhism, equality of all human beings; these are India’s cherished values. This campaign must oppose the evil of caste mentality. Please establish a new cabinet level ministry to do this work. Please consider this as important as India’s economic growth and nuclear treaty with the U.S.

We also like to draw your attention to the fact that the anti-conversion laws that exist in several states are directly in contradiction to the principles of human rights. Please see that the Center takes it seriously that the Constitution provides freedom of religion to all people of India.

We will prayerfully monitor the progress your government will be making on the unity of India.

With much appreciation for what you have done for India, with eager anticipation of your new work for communal harmony, with caring prayers for you, we remain, thanking you,

Faithfully,

Indian Americans, Human Rights Community of the U.S.

The Public that gathered on October 11, 2008 at the

U.N. Plaza, New York.

Contact person: Dr. Nehemiah Thompson

E-mail: Thompson3000@att.net

PRESS RELEASE

October 11, 2008 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASIAN INDIAN

CHRISTIANS IN THE USA INC. 

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN THE USA 

GUJARAT CHRISTIAN FEDERATION

INDIAN CHRISTIAN FORUM

ST.THOMAS ECUMENICAL FEDERATION

NEW JERSEY ECUMENICAL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP 

75,000 Christian people and Hindu Dalits are homeless in the state of Orissa, India, because the caste supremacists have thrown them out unless they become ‘Hindu.’ Nuns have been gang raped. Catholic priests, church workers, pastors and lay Christians have been killed, (at least 200), in the last six weeks. Christian institutions have been vandalized and in some cases destroyed. At least a thousand churches have been burned down. At least 5000 Christian homes have been burned down. Why? The poor and the former untouchables, called Dalits, have defied the Karma assigned to them by the caste supremacists and are claiming their human rights. They are getting out of their poverty and illiteracy. This latest tragedy in the human community, unfortunately, has escaped the attention of the press in the United States, a nation that believes that all persons are created equal and who believe in ‘justice and liberty to all.’ 

Thousands of Indian American Christians, Human Rights community, churches of the United States and other interested people in freedom and democracy who have gathered at the United Nations Plaza on October 11, 2008, outcry the damage caused by the caste supremacists (not Hindus), to human rights in India. The caste supremacy is commonly represented by organizations like Rashtrya Seva Sangh (RSS), Vishva Hindu Parishad, and smaller groups like Bajrang Dal, Hindu Front in Tamilnadu, Shiva Sena in Maharashtra. The caste supremacists’ notion that caste is an integral part of Hinduism is only a propaganda to keep Hindus divided and to maintain untouchability.  

We ask the people, the churches, human rights organizations and the government of the United States to outlaw castism as you did it with racism and monitor how caste oppression is promoted and funded from the American soil. Deny visas to the members of the Sangh who are engaged in terrorist activities against innocent people.  
 

We ask Indian Government to protect the human rights of all people, especially the vulnerable ones, the Christians, the Dalits, the oppressed castes and Tribals of India. Make laws that would stop the violence against them before they start and punish them severely if they start. Take immediate actions to stop the violence, pay retribution to all victims, rehabilitate them. Outlaw permanently the caste supremacists who have been corrupting India and Hinduism for the last 2500 years. 

We ask the United Nations to protect the Dalits and other oppressed communities of India and to be accountable to the promise nations took at the declaration of Human Rights.  
 

Contact: Rev. Dr. Nehemiah Thompson 908-251-3992; E-mail: Thompson3000@att.net

www.indian-christian.org

URGENT PRESS RELEASE

FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASIAN INDIAN

CHRISTIANS IN THE USA, INC 
 

In response to recent and continuing violence against Christians in Orissa and other states of India, an emergency meeting of the National Association of Asian Indian Christians was convened at the First Baptist Church in Rahway, NJ on Saturday, September 06, 2008. The following resolution was adopted: 

The National Association of Asian Indian Christians in the U.S.A.Inc. (NAAIC) 

Deplores the actions of Naxalite terrorists in murdering Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and his associates at his ashram at Kandahamal District, Orissa. Such actions are no part of the Christian faith whatsoever. We pray for the comfort of God to the families of all those who have been so cowardly murdered. We also condemn the so called Indian Muhahajin who has taken responsibility for the series of bomb attacks on innocent people in New Delhi recently. 

The NAAIC deplores the violence of terrorists and thugs, who have used the cowardly murder of the swami as the cover to burn orphanages, clinics, hostels and churches. These include churches from 35 denominations, 11 schools and colleges, and a large number other institutions. Hundreds of individual houses have also been destroyed. As of September 4, least 16 people had been killed, with more reports arriving daily and reliable sources placing the death toll as high as 42. Workers at Christian orphanages have been burnt alive, nuns have been raped, pastors beaten and in some cases killed.¹ 

We further deplore the justification of these actions by prominent members of the Parivar movement, especially the Vishva Hindu Parishad  and Bajrang Dal. Despite the statement of the Orissa government that the murders of Swami Laxmananda and his followers were due to Maoist rebels, National Secretary of the VHP Praveen Togadaia has persisted in blaming the church as a whole, calling for its activities to be halted, and has not condemned the actions of rioters.² 

We fear that these actions represent the first step towards a nationwide religious cleansing campaign, targeting millions of Christian Indians, a longstanding aim of the VHP.³  

We also fear, considering the ongoing violence against Christians in Orissa, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, it may be an initial stage of genocide to get rid of Christians from India while Christianity is a genuine Indian religion in existence from the year 52 A.D. 

We call upon our Hindu friends and neighbors to join with us in resisting the actions of those who seek to use the name of God to advance a political agenda by violence. We believe that faith should be freely chosen without coercion and that all faiths should work together for the uplift of the poor and oppressed.  

Call upon: The governments of the United States and India to act against those organizations that support these gross violations of human rights, particularly the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Prasad. In doing so we place ourselves at the sides of Indians of all faiths who seek to uphold the rule of law and oppose mob rule.⁴ 

We call upon all Indian people to raise their voice against extremism perpetrated by terrorist organizations in India, especially those who live in the United States to contact their elected representatives to share their concerns, because if this trend of violence continues unchecked it may transmit into a genocide. Let us prevent the genocide by these extremists.  

1: http://www.efionline.org/articles/1620.htm, Atul Sethi, “Kandhakamal’s tale’s of shame and horror”, Times of India, 7 September 2008, “Violence in India is fueled by religious and economic divide”, Hari Kumar and Heather Timmons, New York Times, 3 September  2008

2.Ahmed Saeed, “Indian State erupts in violence after Hindu shot”, CNN, 27 August 2008.

3. “Amnesty wants action against Ashok Singhal”, Times of India, 18 October 2002.

4. Smita Gupta, “A Call to Arms”, Outlook India, September 15, 2008.