Violence will not stop Christian witness, Bishop Fernandez says
As attacks against Christians continue, the central government pledges protection but local authorities cover for fundamentalists.
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - After last Saturday attack against some nuns in a Kerala village, Bishop Percival Fernandez, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, told AsiaNews that "there is a general sense of sadness but missioners will neither stop nor be intimidated."
He said that "these attacks on Christians are the work of some fundamentalist groups," but emphasised that "they definitely do not reflect the ethos of the people of India. Indians are tolerant and loving people." More importantly, he insisted, "the violence will not frighten missioners," adding that "they will renew their faith in the Spirit of Christ and shall suffer for Him".
For Bishop Fernandez the violence again the Sisters of Charity is a "shameful" act. Local Hindus accused the nuns of "converting Dalits" the lowest of India's castes from a local village to Christianity. But "Mother Teresa's missioners are not involved in conversions," he said. "Their only goal is to bring food and provisions to the poorest families. They treat them with dignity and love even if they are Hindu. I am certain that if their aggressors need help, they would do everything in their power to do so," he added.
For a long time, India's Christians have been targets of Hindu fundamentalists. The violence against the Sisters of Mother Teresa was but the latest in a series of violent episodes that have taken place in the last month.
On August 22, Fr John Sunderam, a parish priest in Kubbu (Lohardaga district in the eastern state of Jharkhand), was left comatose after a group of armed men attacked in his parish building. Another priest, Fr Albinus Tirkey, was also wounded.
On August 26 some 300 Hindu fundamentalists attacked Our Lady of Charity parish church in Raikia (Kandhamal district in the north-eastern state of Orissa). They entered the church, burnt Bibles and destroyed the tabernacle and statues of saints. The police was at the scene but did not intervene. Six people were injured in the incident.
The worst episode took place on August 28. Fr Job Chittilappilly was killed in his parish of Our Lady of the Graces, in the city of Thuruthiparambu (Kerala). He was killed whilst reciting the rosary in his home. Circumstantial evidence no signs of robbery and threatening phone calls about his pastoral work point to premeditated murder. Thus far, the police did not find the culprits.
According to Bishop Fernandez, the Church will respond to these attacks by "being the living witness of Jesus and preaching the Gospel of love and forgiveness for one's enemies".
Never the less, India's Christians have repeatedly asked for greater protection. "We want the situation of religious minorities to be added to the nation's political agenda," said John Dayal, vice president of the All India Catholic Union.
On several occasions the government promised that it would take measures to deal with the problem. In a recent meeting with the President of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India Card Telesphore Toppo, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "Under my government violence against Christians shall be a thing of the past."
In India, law and order is under the jurisdiction of the member states. Often local police and political authorities cover for those responsible of the violence. This is especially true in the states run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a party that supports a Hindu-centric ideology. (NC)
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