Christian org urges Bush adm to stop N-agreement with India

Washington, Oct 23 (PTI) A Christian organisation in the U.S. has urged the Bush administration not to start implementing the civilian nuclear agreement with India unless the violence against the community in Orissa stops.

Jim Jacobson, President of the Christian Freedom
International has called for an immediate action by the House
of Representatives to pass Concurrent 'Resolution HR-434' that
condemns the recent religious violence in India and asking the
Government of India to stop the violence and address its root
causes.

Fanatics in Orissa are launching attacks against
Christian homes and churches, setting fire to everything in
their path and viciously beating, or even murdering Christian
pastors, Jacobson charged.

"The violence has caused thousands of Christians to
flee for their lives into the nearby forests or refugee camps
–and to make matters worse, the local government has done
nothing to intervene in the crisis," he alleged.

The resolution is gaining more support each day, and
"we call on Chairman Howard Berman of the House of Foreign
Relations Committee to bring the Resolution to the floor of
the House as soon as possible", Jacobson said.

According to a release, Washington and New Delhi will
begin the implementation of the civilian nuclear deal between
both the countries in the next month for cooperation
concerning peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Before any further action is taken on this agreement,
the violence against the Christian population in Orissa must
stop, Jacobson said. "I call on the Chairman Berman and
Secretary Condoleezza Rice to act quickly into the matter," he
added.

"Today, the U.S. government treats India like a
partner, but ignores the violation of basic human rights in
Orissa. The world community is watching. The US Congress and
the Bush Administration must insist that the violence must
stop now," he said.

House Resolution 434 (with the Senate Concurring) of
September 26 last had the Congress strongly condemning the
religious violence in India, including the killings, rapes and
church destruction; and calling on the Government of India to
take all necessary steps to restrict the reach and resources
of the radical religious party elements that cause such
violence regularly.

The resolution called on New Delhi to take strong
steps to prevent ongoing and future violence, including the
provision of adequate police protection for targets of
violence, and active prosecution of perpetrators of violence.

It also called on the state governments of India and
the elected bodies at all levels of government to protect
their citizens regardless of their religious beliefs.

The resolution further condemned the implementation of
any laws restricting the freedom of religion or the freedom to
change one's religion, the fundamental rights in any
democracy; and urged the people of India to respect "all
peaceful religious beliefs and live together as a model to the
rest of the world". PTI S.K.