Dear Appelven,
"I speak for peace, but they call for war." The quote is taken from Psalm 120 in the Bible in everyday Danish. The psalmist cries out to God to be saved from the liars who cheat and deceive. In frustration, the psalmist turns to God in prayer for vengeance against the deceivers in whose territory he is forced to live. As the psalmist emphasizes, judgment and punishment are God's. However unfair the conditions offered to Christians, and however much evil the persecuted Christians suffer, the Christian's task remains to forgive and ask God for perseverance and not to cry out for war.
The words about speaking up for peace, but being surrounded by people calling for war, are very much in line with the situation that is unfolding in the state of Orissa in India. India's constitution guarantees its citizens freedom of worship. Yet we are witnessing in the media a violent persecution of Christians in India. Witnesses confirm that more than 100 Christians have already been killed in the state of Orissa, 115 churches have been destroyed and more than 50,000 have been made homeless during the violent unrest.
Those calling for war are the Hindu organization Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The extremist organization has an agenda to bring Hinduism to all of India, and Christians are standing in the way of this vision. One of the reasons for this hatred towards Indian Christians is the age-old caste system, which, although officially abolished, is alive and well. When people of the lowest castes and those who rank so low in the rankings of human worth that they fall completely outside and are called untouchables convert to Christ, they leave the caste system and chaos ensues. Who will then do the lowest paid jobs, do the necessary practical and religiously unclean work in society and help ensure that the welfare of the richest remains unchanged?
The authorities in India should be urged to investigate these incidents of violence and take action against the actions of extremists so that religious freedom is respected and all legitimate religious groups can live in peaceful coexistence.
Thank you for joining us in the cause of peace!
Sincerely yours
Mission Possible
Benjamin Bach
Network coordinator
The appeal letter:
Honorable Chief Minister of Orissa, Mr. Navin Patnaik
It is with great alarm over the recent violence in the Orissa State against Christian minorities that I write to you today. Our friends in India report that more than 45 Christians have been violently killed by armed crowds, who have also burned down or destroyed more then 115 churches and Christian institutions and over 4,000 homes of Christians.
I am aware that some federal intervention has begun, but that there are still reports of sporadic violence, so these efforts need to be intensified. Currently, eight Catholic priests and 25-30 protestant pastors are in hiding after receiving death threats from radical elements. Over 50,000 Christians are displaced and there is an acute need for foodstuffs, clean water and medical supplies.
The violence appears to be religiously motivated and perpetrated by a radical group intent on eradicating "foreign" religions from Orissa and India.
Respect for religious freedom, including the right to change one's religion and to manifest one's religion publicly, is one of the cornerstones of peaceful coexistence between religious groups and necessary for a well functioning democratic society. The constitution of India guarantees this freedom. Unfortunately, some radical elements within the Indian society have in recent years abused and twisted the meaning of religious freedom and equated all conversion as fraudulent or coercive. This has stimulated an environment of intolerance and hatred of religious minorities, especially Christians.
I write to urge you to resolve this issue. We understand the police have taken action to get the situation under control by implementing a curfew, but the destruction of buildings, properties, and churches has not stopped despite these reports. Women and children are the biggest victims of this outburst of violence. We urge you in whatever capacity you are able, to act quickly on behalf of the persecuted and bring justice to stop the burning, looting, manhunts and violence against the minority women, children, and men. A speedy and effective response is imperative to preserve the reputation of India, the world's largest democracy, which laws and society promote freedom of conscience for religious minorities as well as their safety and well being.
I also ask, honored Chief Minister, that you relay the message to the government of India that it is important for a democracy as old and established as India's to take urgent and concrete steps to address the severe problems and challenges in Orissa. This necessarily entails launching an investigation into. 1) the causes of this violence, 2) reports that the Orissa police stood passively by while atrocities were being perpetrated against Christians and 3) why the federal government was so slow in responding. Furthermore, it is imperative that the perpetrators are brought to justice that the victims receive effective remedies, that immediate measures are taken to restore peace and normalcy and that steps are implemented to ensure that this type of tragedy is not repeated.
Thank you for taking the time to read and act upon this letter.
Sincerely,
