Too often, we mourn the loss of lives after a terrible tragedy has taken place. This following petition is an urgent plea to be proactive and to prevent the atrocious acts of persecution of Christians in India.
Our petition on “Christian Persecution in India”, taken by the New Federation of United Methodist (NFAAUM) to the General Conference, is approved overwhelmingly.
Votes For: 686
Votes Against:36
95.01 percent of the Gen Conf delegates said YES. 4.99 percent said NO.
Christian Persecution in India
Background:
Since May 2023, due to violence against Christians in the North East State of Manipur, India, 120 people have been killed, more than 250 churches and 1,700 houses have been destroyed, and 40,000 people have fled to neighboring states, some to Mynmar, the neighboring country.[i] Manipur’s state government is led by India’s Hindu Nationalist ruling Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP). Religious minorities such as Christians and Muslims live under constant fear and threat in India, the largest democracy in the world.
Call for Action:
Therefore, The New Federation of Asian American United Methodists (NFAAUM) condemns the violations against religious minorities in India, especially the recent demolition and burning of churches and schools in the North Eastern state of Manipur. Supported by the National and State governments, the Hindu Nationalist movement commits such religious violations in India. NFAAUM does not conflate mainstream Hinduism with Hindutva. The latter stands for Hindu Nationalism.
NFAAUM stands in solidarity with the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC), Federation of Indian Christian Organizations (FIACONA) based in the US, Religions for Peace USA, and the Ecumenical Partners in Outreach in condemning violence against religious minorities in India. Along with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), NFAAUM urges the US Government to
· “Designate India as a ‘country of particular concern,’ or CPC, for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA);
· Advance human rights for all religious communities in India and promote religious freedom, dignity, and interfaith dialogue through bilateral engagement and in multilateral forums;
· Condemn ongoing religious freedom violations and support religious organizations and human rights groups targeted for their advocacy of religious freedom;
· and impose targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ assets and/ or barring their entry into the United States under human rights related financial and visa authorities, citing specific religious freedom violations.”[ii]
Also, we urge the members of The United Methodist Church in the US to contact their respective US Congressional representatives to bring to the attention of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) and the State Department the human rights violations committed against religious minorities, especially the Christians, and highlight issues of tax-payers’ funds in the US being sent to Hindutva groups that are engaged in acts of violence against religious minorities in India.