NEW DELHI
‘Abolish Death Penalty’
To commit oneself to formally abolish the death penalty is what the Christian Churches in India and civil society are asking the Indian government in a joint appeal. The text sent to Fides urges the federal government to officially present to the UN the commitment to abolish the death penalty when it will be called to report before the UN Human Rights Council in May 2012. In 2010, 137 prisoners were sentenced to death, and the courts continue to make provision for it, while it “is no longer acceptable as a punishment by any civilised society”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared a National Report on Human Rights, to be presented in Spring 2012 at the United Nations, upon which civil society organisations have been able to make comments and proposals; hence the abolitionist appeal, signed by an appropriate group of organisations like the Asian Center for Human Rights, and shared by Christian associations and the Catholic Church.
Sharia Court seeks takeover of Christian schools
A self-styled Sharia Court in Jammu and Kashmir has asked the state government to take over the management of the Christian missionary schools and monitor their activities.
The decree also asked three Christian priests to leave the state for “luring Muslims in the valley toward Christianity.”
It asked the renowned Kashmiri educationists to form a part of the management of Christian schools. The court also directed the school management to allot a class for Islamic studies as well for the students of other faiths.
ORISSA
No breakthroughs yet
Investigations into the killing of Rabindra Parichha, a former Catholic catechist and human rights activist in Orissa have not produced any results, said Br K.J. Markos, a Monfortan missionary and lawyer, who works in Kandhamal, the theatre of anti-Christian violence in 2008. 34 days after the murder, a suspect was arrested, but then released because he promised to cooperate with the investigators. According to the relatives of the deceased, so far, however, the investigation has not given any result.
“I contacted three of Parichha’s colleagues. They know nothing about the case”, Br Markos said. “It is sad to see that the police has not yet considered the matter and has no idea who the culprits are. Even family members and colleagues seem to have left the matter to its fate, perhaps out of fear. I am going to follow the case.
BANGALORE
Anti-Christian atrocities report
Twenty Christians were attacked and beaten, while Protestant Pastor Srirangam Shanthakumar of the Agape Church, was wounded and his finger was cut off. This is the toll of the final attack carried out by a group of Hindu extremists at Anekal, a rural village in the district of Bangalore in Karnataka state, according to the Global Council of Indian Christians, an organisation that monitors the rights of Christians in India.
Christian association fighting anti-Christian violence cases
The Christian Legal Association (CLA) is playing an active role in fighting cases related to the anti-Christian violence in Karnataka and Orissa. CLA has managed to run certain convictions against the culprits with the help of its lawyers across the nation, said Vijayan Peter Bhaskaran, treasurer of the Central Committee, which is the national level body of the CLA, Pune.
He said that in Karnataka, Justice (retired) Michael Saldanha, who is the backbone of CLA, has already written an application to the Prime Minister in this regard.
PUNE
Fr Cletus Colaco, SVD appointed Faculty of Theology for Europe
Fr Cletus Colaco, SVD (son of Mr L.A.E. Colaco) from Pune, now Professor of Theology at the SVD Seminary in St Augustine, Bonn, Germany, has been officially designated and appointed by Rome, as Professor/Faculty of Theology for Europe.
DIVYADAAN
Feast of Bl Joseph Vaz
On January 16, 2012 the community of Divyadaan celebrated the Feast of Blessed Joseph Vaz (1651-1711), a great missionary and exemplary priest who worked in Goa, Canara and for most of his life in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). In honour of their patron, the feast day was animated by the brothers of the Konkan province.
The day began with Konkani tunes announcing the feast of ‘Padri Zuze Vaz’. The lauds and morning meditation were well animated, calling all to imitate the Blessed in keeping Christ at the very centre of their lives and vocation. There were animated games in the evening, with six teams named after six different houses of the Konkan Province. Games were followed by tea and snacks.
