Acontece Tristemente na Índia: Perseguição e ataques aos cristãos

Na história é frequente assistir a acontecimentos tão deploráveis quanto o que acontece agora na Índia. A diferença entre o que aconteceu no passado e o que acontece agora, é que é ainda possivel colocar um travão nas atrocidades e atentados à vida humana.
Sejam por razões puramente "politicas" ou por meros fundamentalismos, o ataque à liberdade de expressão e de credo e ao direito à dignidade humana deve acabar tão brevemente quanto começou.

A comunicação ocidental tem para já dado pouca atenção a este caso, no entanto, contam-se já 45 mortos, 18 mil feridos, 5 pessoas desaparecidas, ataques e destruição de 56 igrejas e 11 escolas, 300 aldeias atacadas e mais de 4 mil casas incendiadas ou destruidas forçando mais de 50 mil pessoas à fuga. Destas 50 mil, cerca de 40 mil estão ainda escondidas na floresta. Apenas 12 mil pessoas estão em abrigos em campos de refugiados providenciados pelo governo. (Dados da Arquidiocese de Ranchis em 17 de Setembro de 2008).

A violencia que começou no estado de Orissa, começa agora a espalhar-se para os estados de Madya Pradesh, Karnataka e Kerala. Foi já redigida uma carta que procura assinaturas, à Presidente do Estado da Índia, Pratibha Patil, que reproduzo aqui:


"TO THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA

SEEKING INTERVENTION OF ARMY / CENTRAL FORCES TO PROTECT CHRISTIANS IN ORISSA AS NUN IS RAPED, PRIESTS INJURED, CHURCHES AND OFFICES BURNT IN PRESENCE OF POLICE


Hon'ble President of India
Smt. Pratibha Patil

Madam President,
Greetings from a grieving community !
You are well aware of the still continuing carnage against the Christian community, mostly Dalits and Tribals, in the Kandhamal district of Orissa and in several other districts including the state capital of Bhubaneswar since 23rd August 2003 following the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and four of his associates, reportedly by Maoist groups who have been operating in the state for some time.
The Christian leadership in the country has unequivocally condemned the killing of the VHP leader and his four associates. We sympathize with the bereaved members of the families who have lost their loved ones.
No violence can be justified, for whatever the reason. However, for the last several months, the Government of Orissa has allowed some fascist and fundamentalist forces to terrorize the poor, the marginalized and the minorities of the State. These forces have carried on their virulent propaganda and their violent acts with apparent immunity.
The Christians of Kandhamal are still nursing their wounds from the Christmas 2007 violence, with hundreds of them still living in a refugee camp in Barakhama. Most of the more than One hundred churches then destroyed remain in ruins, and the burnt houses are still to be fully rebuilt.
And yet local Sangh leaders have targeted the community in a second wave of macabre violence.
A nun has been raped in Kandhamal, a Catholic father grievously injured, scores of houses in villages destroyed, apart from Churches and institutions. I attach herewith a partial list of the damage in the violence in the past two days. We in Delhi are overwhelmed with panic messages from Priests, pastors, nuns and common people who look to New Delhi for help as the State machinery has collapsed once again.
Changing of superintendents of police as a knee jerk reaction does not provide security to Christians. In fact, much of the violence is taking place with the insufficient police force looking on. This had been the case in 2007 December, as has come out in the on-going hearings of the Justice Basudeo Panigrahi Commission. Christian delegations have informed the State Governor, the State Chief Minister and the Home Minister of India of the dire situation of our community in Orissa.
Hon'ble Madame President,
This is to request you to use your powers as President of India, and the tremendous force of your good office, to impress on the Central Government to rush adequate Union forces, including contingents of the Armed Forces if required, to restore law and order and governance in the state of Orissa particularly in the Kandhamal region.
The consequences of any further delay, I fear, may be catastrophic for our Christian community in the State in particular, for peace in Orissa in general, and for the fair name of India as a secular country.

Yours
Sincerely,"

Proliferam também na internet algumas petições, que poderão ser uma mais valia na defesa dos direitos humanos dos perseguidos na índia:

Stop the Religious Persecution of Christians in Orissa

Anti-Christian Attacks in India

Petition Against Attack on Christians in Orissa

Protection of the Rights of the Christian Minorities in Orissa

Artigos para ler:

Noticia na internet: With the Parivar unrepentant, will peace or the Orissa refugees ever return...

No site português da Ecclesia: Índia: cristãos «tratados como animais»

Site pessoal que faz uma contagem dos danos materiais, imateriais e pessoais: Violence and rage in Orissa & India, Updated 10/04/2008

A nós internautas, resta-nos duas opções: Observar ou agir