CBCI’s message for Human Rights Day

December 10, 2012 - India’s Catholic Church has decried the appalling human rights situation in the country saying it goes against the principles inclusion and participation in public life. This was expressed in a message for the United Nations Human Rights Day, Monday, Dec. 10th, which this year had as its theme, ‘Inclusion and the right to participate in public life.’ In the message, Fr. Charles Irudayam, the Secretary of the Office for Justice, Peace and Development of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) criticized brutal police attacks on peaceful people protesting against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu state, and hired goons’ atrocious attacks on tribal villagers in Orissa state who are opposing the government’s move to allot their land to South Korea’s mining firm POSCO. The priest said that false cases of sedition and waging war on the state are slapped on these protesters, which result in imprisonment, curfew and prohibitory orders. The highlights of the message are: everybody has the right to have their voice heard and to have a role in making the decisions that shape their communities; fulfilment of the right to participate in public life is fundamental to the functioning of a democratic society and an effective human rights protection system; participation and inclusion are critical in the development and implementation of durable, workable policy solutions.
Listing appalling figures from the 2012 report on India by the Working Group on Human Rights (WGHR), Fr. Irudayam spoke of other issues such as starvation deaths, farmers’ suicide, neglect of healthcare and children, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, custodial torture and violence against women, dalits and minorities. Quoting Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, he said citizens and Christians cannot remain indifferent to such violations of human rights. When prevented from exercising their responsibility, the development of a sound democratic system becomes practically impossible. Saying that respect for human rights is the secret of true peace, Fr. Irudayam urged all to make respect for human dignity the heritage of humanity and a culture of human rights the responsibility of all.