|
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: PD John, Executive Director,
Date: July 18, 2002
Time 2:30PM
Human Trafficking and the Spread of HIV in South Asia
Policies Hindering Socio Economic Development in South Asia
John Dayal, Secretary General, All
India Christian Council during a Symposium on South Asia chaired by Sharon Payt, from the State department drew attention to the deliberate campaign of disinformation that has been carried out in certain quarters
against Indian NGOs.
Mr. Dayal has been in the forefront in addressing government allegations that the money received from foreign sources is being used for religious conversions. He pointed out that
no Indian government agency has been able to produce one case of such abuse.
The government headed by the Bharatiya Janata party in Delhi has been very unfair by misusing the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) provisions to curb dissent and throttle the voices of civil society. Finally, 9/11 has given the government of India the excuse it wanted to ram religious restrictions on Christian organizations.
Christian leaders have told the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, that the government’s proposal to further restrict foreign funds to NGOs and churches will seriously affect the country’s education,
health and social programs. The students who study in schools run by Churches belong to all religions; and most of the staff are non-Christians. Hospitals run by churches serve each and every one without
reference to religion, caste or creed, in tribal areas, among Dalits and the poorest of the poor, patients of AIDS and leprosy. Further there are unfair restrictions on Indian Christians, prohibiting them from
adopting children.
Dr. K.P. Singh (University of Washington State) discussed the problems of the condition of the Dalits in the social structure of the India. The oppression they face from the
higher classes of the society, has greatly contributed to a standard of living below subsistence, complicating the problems of poverty and division in India.
Other contributing panelists to the discussion
included Mrs. Jayanthi Jeyseelan from India who work in rehabilitating the women forced into prostitution.
|
