AHRC Urgent Appeal Against Attack on Religious Minorities
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the increasing violent killings of Christian minorities in India. The Commission calls on the Indian government to immediately stop the killings and respect human rights of the minority communities.
We are requesting the central and state governments to ensure that impartial investigations are carried out into all allegations of violations against the Christian and Muslim minorities and that anyone found responsible be brought to justice.
AHRC is shocked and seriously concerned about the increasing religious violence that led to the recent killings of foreign missionaries.
On 24 January 1999 Australian Protestant missionary Graham Stewart Staines, 58, and his two young sons, Philip, 10, and Timothy, 6, were burnt alive to death inside a van they were sleeping. Since 1965 Staines had helped treat victims in leprosy area. According to reports, the police have arrested 47 suspects who are members of a Hindu nationalist group, Bajrang Dal, in connection with the Staines killings in the eastern Orissa state.
