New Delhi
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) deputed six separate teams to investigate attacks against Christians in Karnataka and murders and gross violation of rights in Orissa. On 11th November 2008, two teams started a week-long investigation in Karnataka, one based in Bangalore and other based in Mangalore. The Bangalore-based team spent a better part of a day meeting the representatives of the Global Council of Indian Christians, as the NHRC was alerted by GCIC about the gross violation of the code of conduct of some of the lower level police officers and field officers against civilians in Karnataka. The NHRC investigation is spread over eight days. The Orissa investigations of the 116 plus Christian martyrdoms will commence from 12th November.

At the meeting with NHRC, GCIC unravelled the veil covering the systemic oppression against Christians in Karnataka and Orissa. Contrary to the Yeddyurappa government's promise of prompt action against the groups involved in attack against Christians in Karnataka, and the Orissa administration's claim that people from the relief camps in Kandhamal had started returning to their respective villages, GCIC was able to establish, with documentary evidence, 96 major attacks against Christians in Karnataka and over 80 martyrdoms of Christians for their faith in Orissa, along with grave violations of human rights.

Christians in India are paying a high price for their spiritual freedom. The present wave of persecution by Hindutva extremists started in Orissa in August when Maoist assailants killed a swami, the leader of a Hindu religious order and functionary of the World Hindu Council (known locally as VHP). The Maoist militants owned responsibility for the killings, but radical Hindus made a unilateral decision, despite the facts, that the Christians were the culprits. Since then, mobs of angry Hindus bombed and set on fire entire villages in which Christians were in the majority. Pastors, nuns, priests and churchgoers were burnt alive, a nun gang-raped and churches, schools and orphanages burnt. The rampaging mobs destroyed businesses owned by Christians and forced people to convert to Hinduism on pain of death. Many chose to die for their faith while others capitulated for the sake of their homes and families. The attacks were aimed not at any one section but at who is identified as a Christian. Those who escaped into the forests are now faced with malaria and dysentery. Local governments have been slow to respond, even after similar attacks erupted in the state of Karnataka.
GCIC believes that the investigations carried out by NHRC would bring out the truth and ensure the "right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion" as set forth in Article 18, Universal Declaration of Human Rights which reads: " Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Dr. Sajan K George