Christians hope Geneva conference will address Dalits issue

The plight of the Dalits after the recent Christian ecumenical conference will now be addressed in an elevated platform - the UN anti-racism conference in Geneva from April 20-24.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) as well as several human rights advocates has expressed high expectations in the UN conference, which they say 8-years-back at Durban failed to accentuate the Dalits affliction.

The conference plays a vital role, as church leaders admit unless it is 'internationalised' it is difficult to abrogate the 'untouchable' discrimination.

Participants at the recent Global Ecumenical Conference on Justice for Dalits at Bangkok from 21-24 March had called upon the international community "to offer a platform to those representing Dalit communities" and also urged "all participating governments to accept the inclusion of caste-based discrimination in those discussions."

A Bangkok Declaration was framed urging global ecumenical bodies to develop their ongoing work on justice for Dalits and to be "in full solidarity with the Dalit movements and to speak with a united voice in working towards their liberation."

According to the declaration, churches are expected to implement awareness-raising programs, empower Dalits, monitor and respond to caste atrocities, encourage Dalits to express their culture in worship, liturgy and theology, and support Dalit women's initiatives.

The 3,500-year old oppression has affected millions of people whose status according to the traditional Hindu society is associated with occupations regarded as ritually impure such as manual scavengers, cleaning latrines and sewers by hand and clearing away dead animals. For years they were banned and isolated in the Hindu society.

The Dalit issue has also led to the attack on Christian missionaries and churches that have been fighting for their human rights and values.

Missionaries to ameliorate the status of the Dalits have established hundreds of schools, hospitals, and NGO organizations in India, which Hindu extremists say is, "an act of alluring the gullible". The mayhem caused in Orissa and the vandalising of prayer halls in Karnataka has been attributed to this.

India's 25 million Christians come from the "untouchable" background.