AUSTRALIA Refugee Review Tribunal

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: IND34133 Country: Date: 23 December 2008

Keywords: India – – Divine Retreat Centre – Christians – Police protection – Court system – Kerala human rights institutions – Christians in other states

This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the primary source material contained herein.

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Questions 1. Please provide information on attacks on the “Devine Retreat Centre”, Kerala? 2. Please provide information on attacks on or mistreatment of Christians in Kerala? 3. Please provide information on the size of the Christian community in Kerala and the extent of religious tolerance in that state. 4. Please provide information on whether the police provide adequate protection to persons from various religious groups, particularly Christians. Is the court system impartial and is there a human rights institution at the state level? 5. Please identify other Indian states with large Christian communities with reasonable levels of religious tolerance.

RESPONSE

1. Please provide information on attacks on the “Devine Retreat Centre”, Kerala?

No recent reports of RSS or BJP attacks on the Divine Retreat Centre were found in a search of the available information. A previous research response, dated 21 May 2007, also found no reports of RSS or BJP attacks on the Divine Retreat Centre; however, one source mentions the RSS “infiltrating” the centre to gather evidence against it. There has been controversy surrounding the Centre in recent years (detailed below). There are claims that this has been a scheme by Hindu nationalist groups, upset at the “widespread conversion” of Hindus, to have the Centre closed (‘Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh infiltrates Muringur Divine Retreat Centre’ (undated), Persecution Update India website http://persecution.in/node/1543 – Accessed 17 May 2007 – Attachment 2; RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response IND31759, 21 May – Attachment 3).

As a brief description, a 23 June 2007 article states that the centre, which was set up in “the late 80’s, attracts thousands of people every week from all religions across the country...[and] runs homes for the destitute, drug addicts, AIDS patients and the mentally handicapped, and also hosts spiritual retreats”. The Centre’s website states that the “Divine Retreat Centre is the largest retreat centre in the world” (Chatterjee, J. 2007, ‘Police, Administration Clash Over Divine Retreat Centre Issue’, Christian today website, 23 June http://www.christiantoday.com/article/police.administration.clash.over.divine.retreat.centre.is sue/11255.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 4; ‘Brief History’ 2007, Divine Retreat Centre website, last updated 17 May http://www.drcm.org/dvineretreat/generalinfo/topics.asp?topic=History – Accessed 17 May 2007 – Attachment 50).

Information on the work of the Centre can also be found on the Centre’s website: http://www.drcm.org/index.asp.

As detailed in a number of media reports, the Divine Retreat Centre in Kerala has been the subject of controversy in recent years after the High Court in Kerala ordered an investigation into the Centre in 2006. The order was subsequently quashed by the Supreme Court in 2008. The Divine Retreat Centre’s director states that “on 10 March 2006, the High Court of Kerala, upon receiving an anonymous letter containing false allegations against Divine Retreat Centre, took up the case ‘suo motu’ (on its own initiative) and ordered an inquiry into the affairs of our Retreat Centre – a Special Investigation Team was formed for this purpose”. The statement describes the investigations into the Centre (Vallooran, A. 2008, ‘Truth Triumphs’, Divine Retreat Centre website, March http://www.drcm.org/DivineStatementMar2008/Main4.asp – Accessed 17 December 2008 – Attachment 5; see also: ‘Retreat Center Asks Kerala State To Stop Police Harassment’ 2006, Indian Catholic News website, 11 October http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=3867 – Accessed 16 March 2007 – Attachment 6).

A June 2007 article also describes the events:

A row has flared up in Kerala between the state police and the management of the popular catholic retreat centre, the Divine Retreat Centre, with the police filing criminal charges against 10 top officials including its director Father George Panakkal, his close associates and a nun.

The police have claimed that a total of 974 mysterious deaths, most of them young, took place at the Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Kerala, between 1991 and 2006 and on many occasions the bodies were reportedly disposed of without informing the police, allegedly by forging documents to make them look like natural deaths.

Charges framed against the centre comes after six months of investigations at the direction of the Kerala High Court, include forceful confinement, causing hurt by poison, cheating and destroying evidences.

The Kerala High Court, acting suo motu, had ordered a probe into its affairs, following complaints and allegations ranging from mysterious disappearances and murders to violation of foreign exchange rules.

…When the police team raided the Divine Centre last year, both the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) and opposition Congress party condemned it in strongest terms but the High Court gave a green signal to the probe team…Meanwhile, the centre has alleged a police vendetta after it challenged the High Court-ordered investigation and filed a review petition in the Supreme Court (Chatterjee, J. 2007, ‘Police, Administration Clash Over Divine Retreat Centre Issue’, Christian today website, 23 June http://www.christiantoday.com/article/police.administration.clash.over.divine.retreat.centre.is sue/11255.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 4).

The article notes that the Chief Minister, V.S. Achuthanandan of the CPI-M, had “rejected nationalist ’s (BJP) demand for immediate closure of the centre” (Chatterjee, J. 2007, ‘Police, Administration Clash Over Divine Retreat Centre Issue’, Christian today website, 23 June http://www.christiantoday.com/article/police.administration.clash.over.divine.retreat.centre.is sue/11255.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 4).

In March 2008, the Supreme Court put aside the High Court’s order relating to the probe. One Christian website’s analysis of the situation states:

After two years of controversy, the Indian Supreme Court recently quashed a case by the police in Kerala (South India) against a Catholic Retreat centre. The charges against the centre were based on a anonymous letter and included causing 974 “unnatural deaths”, rape, foreign exchange violations and running an unlicensed hospital! The reality behind the witch- hunt is a claim by Hindu radicals that the Vincentian priests who run the Retreat centre are engaged in the large scale conversion of Hindus. The (presumable) reality behind the false murder claims is that the care of AIDS patients is one of the many charitable activities carried out by the Vincentians (‘India: Catholic Retreat Centre Accused of Mass Killings, Rape, etc’ 2008, Alliance Support Group website, 23 May http://www.alliancesupport.org/news/archives/002321.html – Accessed 17 December 2008 – Attachment 7).

For mainstream Indian media reports of the case being set aside by the Supreme Court, see the following two articles in The Hindu:

• ‘SC sets aside Kerala HC order’ 2008, The Hindu, 12 March http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200803120371.htm – Accessed 17 December 2008 – Attachment 8;

• ‘SC slams Kerala HC for acting on anonymous petition’ 2008, The Hindu, 12 March http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200803121966.htm – Accessed 17 December 2008 – Attachment 9.

For a selection of articles from mainly Christian media describing the events, see:

• ‘India: Catholic Retreat Centre Accused of Mass Killings, Rape, etc’ 2008, Alliance Support Group website, 23 May http://www.alliancesupport.org/news/archives/002321.html – Accessed 17 December 2008 – Attachment 7.

No further information was found on the case, subsequent to the media reports on the quashing of the order by the Supreme Court.

2. Please provide information on attacks on or mistreatment of Christians in Kerala?

There has been a recent wave of communal violence against Christians in India, especially after August 2008 when a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) leader and some of his followers were killed in Orissa. The violence, according to Christian news service Compass Direct, spread to other states including Kerala.

Media articles reported that anti-Christian violence had spread from Orissa to Kerala. The media reported a number of incidents of vandalism of churches in Kerala in the months after the anti-Christian violence escalated in Orissa (‘Faith and us’ 2008, Indian Express, 23 September – Attachment 11; ‘Conversion fire spreads to Kerala’ 2008, Times of India, 17 September – Attachment 12; ‘Attack On Church: Security Beefed Up In Kerala Town’ 2008, United News of India, 15 September – Attachment 13).

A September 2008 Economic Times article looks at the link between the attacks on Christians, the BJP and its programme for the coming elections (‘Playing the communal card’ 2008, Economic Times, 17 September – Attachment 14).

A March 2008 Gulf Times article reports that activists of the student wing of the CPI-M had attacked and vandalised a college run by the in Kerala (‘Bishop slams CPM after attack by its students’ wing on college’ 2008, Gulf Times, 31 March http://www.gulf- times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=210183&version=1&template_id=40&p arent_id=22 – Accessed 19 December 2008 – Attachment 15).

The only mention of attacks on Christians in Kerala in the latest US Department of State International Religious Freedom report is the following: “On June 3, 2008, Hindu Aikyavedi activists staged a violent march to a church headquarters in Thiruvalla, Kerala. Media reported that the activists threw stones at several Christian institutions, and demanded investigation into the financial transactions of one of the churches and its overseas affiliate” (US Department of State 2008, International Religious Freedom Report for 2008 – India, 19 September – Attachment 10).

The following reports of attacks on Christians in Kerala in 2007 and 2008 were found on various Christian websites. The reports are presented in reverse chronological order.

31 October 2008, Compass Direct News:

Suspected Hindu extremists burned down a school building run by a church on Oct. 16 in Kuravilangad. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that the main building of St. Mary Higher Secondary School was destroyed in the fire, and authorities found materials used to set the school ablaze on the premises. Church authorities demanded an investigation, and government officials have visited the site. The school has a reputation for holding seats open for poor Dalit Christians in spite of strong opposition from the upper-caste Hindus. A police investigation was ongoing at press time (Sailo, M., Carvalho, N. & Bhatia, S. 2008, ‘India briefs: Recent incidents of persecution’, Compass Direct News, 31 October – Attachment 16).

30 September 2008, Compass Direct News,

According to the AICC, in the southern state of Karnataka at least 19 churches and 20 Christians have been attacked. At least four churches and four Christian schools had been vandalized in the north-central state of Madhya Pradesh, and four churches attacked in the southern state of Kerala. Two churches had also been damaged in the national capital, (Arora, V. 2008, ‘Christian couple killed, houses torched in Orissa, India’, Compass Direct News, 30 September – Attachment 17). 24 September 2008, Compass Direct News:

According to , two churches were attacked in neighboring Kerala state on Sunday (Sept. 21) near the international airport in Nedumbassery, close to city.

Some churches were attacked in Kerala last week also (Arora, V. 2008, ‘Murder, rape, arson continue in India’, Compass Direct News, 24 September – Attachment 18).

16 September 2008, Compass Direct News:

[A]nti-Christian violence spread to at least five more states across India over the weekend. Christians and churches were targeted in Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand following violence in Orissa” (Arora, V. & Bhatia, S. 2008, ‘Violence spreads to five more states in India’, Compass Direct News, 16 September – Attachment 19).

12 June 2008, Christian Today website:

Church leaders have expressed concern over mob attacks on religious targets in the southern Indian state of Kerala whose own tourism department promotes it as “God’s own country”.

Spiritual personalities of all faiths including Christian, Hindu and Muslim have been under intense police and public scrutiny since May following the arrest of a high-profile Hindu astrologist in early May on allegations of sexually abusing young girls in orphanages he ran.

The astrologist and Hindu sage Santosh Madhavan is also alleged to have been involved in some dubious land deals with the support of top police and politicians who flocked to him for spiritual guidance.

Madhavan’s arrest was followed by a widespread crackdown on sages of all creeds by the police in Kerala, whose government is headed by Communists, while the youth wing of the Communist Party and Hindu extremists have attacked alleged faith-healing centres.

“The law should certainly catch up with those abusing religion,” Philip N Thomas, the secretary of the Kerala Council of Churches, told Ecumenical News International on 10 June. “But, unfortunately, it has now become a handy tool to discredit religion and faith.”

As part of an investigation into faith-healing centres, police have several times raided the offices of the influential Gospel for Asia group and the Believers Church in central Kerala.

Hindu groups mounted a huge protest march to the headquarters of the Believers Church in early June, and some protesters attacked Christians who had photographed the protest.

After police raided and made public the recovery of foreign currency from an evangelical group called “Heavenly Dinner”, Communist activists attacked the centre and destroyed its roadside posters.

“What is happening now is much more than investigation against fake religious leaders,” said the Rev Paul Thelakkat, spokesperson for the Syro Malabar Church, the largest church group in Kerala.

The Christian community accounts for nearly 20 percent of Kerala’s 34 million people. Thelakkat said there was no justification for Hindu groups and Communists to march and attack Christian centres, saying there seemed to be a “wider agenda” to denigrate religion and faiths, especially non-Hindu ones (‘Indian churches troubled by religion attacks in “God’s own country”‘ 2008, Christian Today website, source: Ecumenical News International, 12 June http://www.christiantoday.com/article/indian.churches.troubled.by.religion.attacks.in.gods.ow n.country/19482.htm – Accessed 9 December 2008 – Attachment 20).

12 December 2007, Catholic News Agency:

A bishop in Kerala, who is an outspoken critic of the rule of the local communist party, received a letter threatening that his legs and hands would be chopped off if he continued his vocal opposition.

Bishop Joseph Porunnedom of Mananthavady reportedly first revealed the threat on December 9 saying that he received an unsigned threatening letter but ignored it. “I’m not scared. Threats can’t change my stand on the issues,” the 51-year-old bishop told UCA News.

Diocesan spokesman Father Joseph Thomas Therakam said that no complaint had been made to the police.

“It’s the first time a bishop is getting threatened in Kerala, a state known for harmony. It’s most unfortunate,” Father Therakam said. “We are not concerned about the threat,” he added, insisting the Church “is not going to dilute its stand against the government’s anti-people policies.”

The Catholic Church in Kerala has opposed the Marxist-led coalition government mainly because of its education policies. The policies allegedly help communists take control of Christian institutions.

Archbishop of Trichur, who has barred communists from positions in Catholic parishes, warned of these alleged plans.

“After gaining power, they will change their colors by bringing pressures, challenges and misleading propaganda. (They hope) to undermine institutions in the field of education, with a hidden agenda to imposing their atheist philosophy,” the archbishop said.

Some communist leaders have begun a smear campaign against bishops and other Church leaders. One party leader at a public meeting insulted one bishop by calling him a drunkard.

Charlie Paul, former state president of the Christian Life Community, reacted to the reported death threat: “It shows the attitude of the Marxists. If you do not fall in line with the party, they use threats to silence you. But it will not be successful with the Church.” (‘Death threat promises dismemberment of Indian bishop’ 2007, Catholic News Agency, 12 December http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11249 – Accessed 17 December 2008 – Attachment 21).

14 October 2007, All India Christian Council website:

Hindu radicals have attacked a Pastor and his wife near Thiruvalli police station at Mananthavady in Wayanad district of Kerala.

Pastor TC Joseph (57) and his wife Ammini (50) were attacked at their residence at 2.30 am on 14 October 2007. The attackers first disconnected the phone and power supply, broke open the door of their house and beat them up. The couple were later taken to hospital with severe injuries. The Pastor has been living in the village, working among tribal people and pastoring the New India Bible Church for the past 15 years. He is also associated with the compassion ministries and helping poor people.

Hindu United Forum, a militant body, had held a meeting a few weeks ago and declared a march to the pastor’s residence if conversion continued in the area. However the Forum denied any involvement in the attack.

The police rushed to the spot and arrested two persons in connection with the attack. The police are searching for other culprits. All India Christian Council Kerala Chapter condemned the attack and demanded immediate arrest of all the criminals. Christian Council coordinator Zac John sought full protection of Christian workers in the State (‘Pastor and Wife Were Attacked in Kerala’ 2007, All India Christian Council website, 14 October http://indianchristians.in/news/content/view/1646/45/ – Accessed 22 December 2008 – Attachment 22).

2 October 2007, Compass Direct News:

At least 15 extremists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) attacked six Christians on September 4 near Parasuram temple in Tiruvallam area of Thiruvanandapuram, capital of Kerala state. With sharp weapons, the extremists assaulted Christians identified only as Jose, George, Santhosh, Bijoy, Jaykrish and Hari, who received serious injuries, said Paul Ciniraj of the Kerala-based Salem Voice Ministries. On September 6, police managed to arrest two RSS extremists identified only as Sreekumar and Lalu for the attack. Sreekumar is in charge of training the local RSS cadre, and Lalu is the leader of the Edayar area unit of the organization. A court remanded them to judicial custody on charges of attempted murder. Rights groups say Hindu extremists in the state have been trying to create religious tensions to help politically advance Hindu nationalistic parties (‘India: News Briefs’ 2007, Compass Direct News, 2 October http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=5060&lang=en&lengt h=short&backpage=archives&critere=kerala&countryname=&rowcur=0 – Accessed 9 December 2008 – Attachment 23).

16 July 2007, AsiaNews:

Marxist youth groups have attacked Catholic schools whilst the state’s left-wing government has discriminated against them. A Council for Minority Rights Protection was recently created to counter these threats. Irinjalakuda bishop calls for the establishment of protection teams to guard against such attacks (Carvalho, N. 2007, ‘Kerala: Church fighting for freedom of education’, AsiaNews, 16 July http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9837&size=A# – Accessed 9 December 2008 – Attachment 24).

29 June 2007, Compass Direct News:

Eight people known for their Hindu extremist ideology on June 15 killed a 52-year-old Christian social activist, allegedly over his activism against a toddy shop in the Konny area of Kerala state’s Pathanamthitta district. The body of Joy Anthariveth was found in the Kavil area near Thannithodu, where the slain Christian was running a movement against the toddy shop, the Rev. Paul Ciniraj of Kerala-based Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) told Compass. Anthariveth, a member of the SVM’s prayer fellowship, was murdered while returning from a prayer meeting. “Anthariveth was walking on the Kavil bridge on June 15 when the culprits came in their Scorpio car and beat him to death,” Ciniraj quoted the police as saying. “He tried to escape through the narrow path between the Marthoma Church and the Federal Bank but could not. They threw the body from the bridge to the rivulet.” Police told Ciniraj that Anthariveth had received several threats and warnings by toddy shop personnel. On June 20, police arrested five of the accused, while the remaining three were absconding at press time (‘India: News Briefs’ 2007, Compass Direct News, 29 June http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=4925&lang=en&lengt h=short&backpage=archives&critere=kerala&countryname=&rowcur=0 – Accessed 9 December 2008 – Attachment 25).

25 May 2007, Compass Direct News:

Four unidentified men attacked Dr. Thomas Mathai and his wife on May 8 at Cheppampara village in District of Kerala, the Rev. Paul Ciniraj of Salem Voice Ministries reported. Mathai is both a medical doctor and an evangelist. “At 12:15 a.m. there was a knock on my door,” Mathai told Compass. “Four men pleaded for my help with an accident victim. When I opened the door, the men barged into the house, bound my hands and feet, gagged me and thrashed me with a steel pipe.” Mathai’s wife rushed to help him and was also gagged and had her hands and feet bound. The attackers then made off with her gold jewelry, some cash and two mobile phones. After untying their bonds, the couple registered a case at the Ponkunnam police station. According to Ciniraj, robbery was not the motive; Mathai was targeted for sharing the gospel. “This is the third attack in Kerala in recent weeks,” Ciniraj added. “A few weeks ago in Idukki district, some Brethren evangelists were beaten up, and about a fortnight ago vandals attacked the Carmel Gospel Center in .” Police were investigating, but at press time no arrests had been made (‘India: News Briefs’ 2007, Compass Direct News, 25 May http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=4885&lang=en&lengt h=short&backpage=archives&critere=kerala&countryname=&rowcur=0 – Accessed 9 December 2008 – Attachment 26).

28 March 2007, Christian Today website:

A leading persecution watchdog has reported that 3 attacks have taken place earlier this month on Christians in Kerala, generally considered a safe-haven for Christians because of the large Christian minority there.

Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) has said that these attacks, which all took place within a week, are especially alarming because they mark the first time a church has been shut down by the local government in Kerala.

In addition, Hindu extremists vandalised a Christian prayer centre and invaded a Pentecostal church, physically assaulting several of the attendees.

That this sort of violence would occur in the normally peaceful Kerala reveals the extent to which the xenophobic “Hindutva” ideology has infiltrated India, as well as a growing radicalization of India’s Muslims. Rather than welcoming differences, those who follow “Hindutva” seek to make India a country with only one religion: Hinduism.

New Testament Pentecost Church was established 35 years ago. Eleven years ago, the church successfully registered with the government, and has grown to include 11 branches and various ministries, and does not operate using foreign assistance.

However, 12 years ago a Muslim family living nearby started making life difficult for the church. The father of this family tried many different ways to get rid of the church, first by attempting to buy it from the Pastor. When that did not work, he and his son would disturb their worship by shouting loudly over their singing. But the real trial came when four months ago the neighbour and other Muslims joined together and sued the church. The Pastor, Sam George, was summoned to the police station 4 times. Twice the police were favourable to him, but the last two times the police became hostile.

Recently, a notice came from the municipality showing that the church’s worship was causing a disturbance to the neighbourhood. Police stopped Sunday services 22 times, verbally abusing the church members and attempting to arrest Pastor George. The police gained a court order against the church, prohibiting their use of a sound system because the sound was more than 55 decibels, the volume of a normal conversation.

Four weeks ago the church received a notice from the municipality showing that the church hall would be sealed if they sang songs or did any preaching. The next day the building was sealed without an order from the high court. For the last four weeks they have been worshipping in another house.

In two separate instances, the perpetrators were Hindu. Unidentified Hindu extremists came on motorcycles and started throwing stones through the windows of Carmel Gospel Centre on March 6 in Kooroppada village in Pampady area near Kottayam town.

“After a prayer meeting...we heard the sound of stoning coming from the room where our five-year-old son Barose and two-year-old daughter Basia were sleeping. We cried aloud and rushed to the room to protect them. When the attackers heard our voice, they stopped stoning and fled,” Paul said.

The attackers had also drawn Hindu symbols, such as “Om” and the Nazi “Swastika” on the walls opposite the compound of the Centre.

In the third incident, a radical Hindu mob vandalised a Pentecostal church on March 4 in Thiruvanandapuram district of Kerala. Extremists interrupted the Sunday worship service and started physically assaulting the congregation. The attack prevented the church from conducting the worship service.

According to the government figures, Christians comprise 19 percent of the 31.8-million population of Kerala. At the national level, only 2.3 percent of India’s population is Christian. The fact that attacks are now occurring in Kerala will only embolden anti-Christian extremists elsewhere to attack the even more vulnerable Christians in their states (Gold, J. 2007, ‘Authorities Close Church in India as Attacks Increase’, Christian Today website, 28 March http://www.christiantoday.com/article/authorities.close.church.in.india.as.attacks.increase/101 42.htm – Accessed 9 December 2008 – Attachment 27).

Question 5 of a March 2007 research response provides some information on attacks on Christians in Kerala (RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response IND31446, 19 March – Attachment 28).

3. Please provide information on the size of the Christian community in Kerala and the extent of religious tolerance in that state.

Kerala is referred to in a number of sources, such as a 2002 BBC News article, as “the cradle of ”. A 2004 Times of India article states that “Christians form 19 percent and Muslims 24.7 percent of the total population in the state. Hindus make up for 56.2 percent of the population” (Haviland, Charles 2002, ‘India’s Christians: Roots and disputes’, BBC News , 25 December http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2604455.stm - Accessed 1 September 2006 – Attachment 29; ‘43 pc of Keralites are Muslims, Christians’ 2004, Times of India, 7 September http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/842261.cms – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 30).

Kerala is currently ruled by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). A Compass Direct article of March 2008 states that “Christian leaders in Kerala complain that since the Left Democratic Front state government led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) came to power in 2006, it has been trying to gain control over their educational institutions to promote atheism in the name of reforms”. However, the article notes that these conflicts over educational policies “come in contrast to the common ground that Christians and communists in India share: not only a united defense against the ideological enemy of (Hindutva), but concern for the poor”. According to recent reports, the Kerala government offered to shelter 56 Christian refugees who had fled to Kerala from Orissa, following the outbreak of anti-Christian violence in that state (Arora, V. 2008, ‘Communist Rulers Target Christian Schools in Kerala, India’, Compass Direct, 4 March – Attachment 31; Varghese, R. 2008, ‘Orissa Christians find shelter in Kerala state’, Christian Today website, 3 November http://www.christiantoday.com/article/orissa.christians.find.shelter.in.kerala.state/21796.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 32).

An article in India Today states that Kerala has the country’s largest Christian population:

[T]he state has the country’s largest Christian population of seven million which constitutes 22 per cent of its total population.

More importantly, over 75 per cent of the priests and nuns in India who belong to different churches and congregations hail from Kerala (Radhakrishnan, M. 2008, ‘Matters of Faith’, India Today, 19 June http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?issueid=&id=10099&option=com_content&task= view§ionid=21 – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 33).

A Times of India article lists some Kerala districts which have the highest Christian populations:

Ernakulam district in Kerala has the highest percent of the Christians in India…Kottayam district has the second largest Christian population in the country, while Thrissur and [Trivandrum] districts are placed at fourth and fifth place.

Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu is the district with the third largest Christian population in India.

Christians form 19 percent and Muslims 24.7 percent of the total population in the state. Hindus make up for 56.2 percent of the population (‘43 pc of Keralites are Muslims, Christians’ 2004, Times of India, 7 September http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/842261.cms – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 30).

A 2007 article in Frontline describes the Catholic church in Kerala as the “powerful Catholic Church in Kerala”. The article also reports on the struggle of the church against the alleged “anti-minority” education policies of the Communist-led government (Krishnakumar, R. 2007, ‘Battle cry’, Frontline, vol. 24, issue 15, 28 July – 10 August http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2415/stories/20070810504103200.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 34). Question 8 of a previous research response, dated 6 May 2008, provides information on the position of Christians in Kerala (RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33237, 6 May – Attachment 35).

A 3 November 2008 article on the Christian Today website states that the Kerala government had offered to shelter 56 Christian refugees who had fled to Kerala from Orissa, following the outbreak of anti-Christian violence:

The government of the Indian state of Kerala has offered to shelter 56 refugees from Orissa, most of whom had fled the state following threats and beatings by Hindu mobs avenging the murder of a Hindu leader.

Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan met a group of riot victims who told of the violence in Kandhamal district, long a trouble spot for violence against Christians.

The Chief Minister said the state government would accommodate them in various centres under the social welfare department.

Achuthanandan said that the refugees were mentally and physically weak and that treatment, food and clothes would be taken care of by the state government.

The riot victims told the chief minister that they had been continuously targeted over the last year and were hiding in the woods to escape attacks by the religious fanatics.

“We have not decided about the future course of rehabilitation. Many of them wanted to go back to their native places in Kandhamal district once normalcy is restored,” the Chief Minister’s political secretary KN Balagopal said.

The riot victims had reached Kerala in several batches with the help of human rights activists. For the last three weeks, they were given shelter in Thrissur by a Christian prayer centre.

At least 50,000 fled to forests and took shelter in relief camps following violence by Hindu mobs in Orissa since August 25. Over 60 have died and 300 churches have been burned down in one of the largest outbreaks of violence against Christians in Indian history (Varghese, R. 2008, ‘Orissa Christians find shelter in Kerala state’, Christian Today website, 3 November http://www.christiantoday.com/article/orissa.christians.find.shelter.in.kerala.state/21796.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 32).

The US Department of State International Religious Freedom report details protests by Catholic churches along with Muslim and Hindu religious groups in Kerala against a government issued textbook which they claimed “teaches children atheism and communism”:

According to local press, on June 30, 2008, Catholic churches across Kerala held protests demanding the immediate withdrawal of a controversial elementary school social studies textbook. The Catholic Church argued that the book teaches children atheism and communism. Protest marches were held in several cities and towns including Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Kollam with the support of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC). The Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Democratic Front government issued the textbook. Other religious groups, including Muslim organizations and the Hindu Nair Service Society, also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the text (US Department of State 2008, International Religious Freedom Report for 2008 – India, 19 September – Attachment 10). A 4 March 2008 Compass Direct article alleges “Communist Rulers Target Christian Schools In Kerala”. Despite disputes over education, the article does note that communists and Christians share “common ground” in their united defense against the ideological enemy of Hindu nationalism (Hindutva). The article states:

Communists and Christians can be best of pals in defending against the onslaughts of Hindu nationalism, but their differences over Christian educational institutions surge to the fore where the leftists rule – as has just happened in Kerala state.

A government body in the southern state of Kerala has recommended banning of religious worship and use of religious inscriptions on the walls in private schools that receive assistance from the state, a move that is believed to be targeted at Christian institutions, according to a report in The Telegraph newspaper on February 11.

The newspaper reported that recommendations of the Kerala Education Rules Reforms Committee (KERRC) are being seen as a move to curtail the religious freedom enjoyed by minority communities, mainly Christians, under the constitution. Article 30 of the Indian Constitution grants the right to religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions.

… The KERRC has also recommended that classes with religious instruction be given only to students who have permission from their parents to participate. It also has suggested that religious teaching be substituted with moral science classes to teach students the values of honesty and non-violence.

The committee has further proposed that private schools appoint teachers only from a list prepared by a free agency with statutory powers. This move, Christians fear, might lead to the discrimination of teachers from religious minorities.

Christians form close to 20 percent (6.05 million) of Kerala’s population of 31.8 million, with a segment within the state’s Christian community regularly voting for communist parties.

But since 2006, church leaders in Kerala have issued 10 pastoral letters against the Communists, which are read out in churches, in an apparent attempt to discourage church members from supporting them.

The Asia News agency on February 11 reported that Paul Thelakat, spokesman for the Syro- Malabar Synod and editor-in-chief of Satyadeepam (Light of Truth), said that the recommendations are an attempt “to bring political control” and the “party’s agenda into the school system.”

…Christian leaders in Kerala complain that since the Left Democratic Front state government led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) came to power in 2006, it has been trying to gain control over their educational institutions to promote atheism in the name of reforms.

…Common Enemy

Such conflicts come in contrast to the common ground that Christians and communists in India share: not only a united defense against the ideological enemy of Hindu nationalism (Hindutva), but concern for the poor. While defending themselves against Hindutva forces brings Christians and communists together at the national level, said Dr. , president of the All India Catholic Union, he noted that “both Christians and communists serve the poor and the marginalized.”

The Left front parties, which lend external support to the ruling federal coalition, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), are believed to be behind the nomination of India’s president, Pratibha Patil, who is known for her stand against “anti-conversion” laws brought in by Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Hindu extremists commonly cite such laws to harass Christians with false charges of “fraudulent conversion.”

Patil, former governor of Rajasthan state, rejected an anti-conversion bill passed by that state’s legislature, ruled by the BJP. She first returned the bill in April 2006, saying it was unconstitutional, and when the BJP resent the bill to her later in May 2006, she sat on it until she referred it to the president on June 20, 2007. The next day, she resigned as governor to run for president.

Communist parties decided to support the Congress Party-led UPA because of its secular image and opposition to the Hindu extremist BJP. Secularism in India means equal treatment of all religious communities and affirmative action for their weaker segments, as opposed to detachment of religion from the state, as in the West (Arora, V. 2008, ‘Communist Rulers Target Christian Schools in Kerala, India’, Compass Direct, 4 March – Attachment 31).

On 12 September 2007, a Compass Direct article quotes “Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians”, who states that “it was disturbing to see the southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, which have substantial numbers of Christians, becoming gradually tenser in recent years” (‘India: News Brief’ 2007, Compass Direct News, 12 September http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=5029&lang=en&lengt h=short&backpage=archives&critere=kerala&countryname=&rowcur=0 – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 36).

A 29 June 2007 Compass Direct article reports demands by the Kerala unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) that the state government deport foreign missionaries in Kerala state who are “indulging in widespread religious conversion with the help of foreign aid”:

The Kerala unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on June 21 demanded that the state government deport foreign missionaries in Kerala state who are “indulging in widespread religious conversion with the help of foreign aid,” reported the daily DNA. VHP Kerala Organizing Secretary Kummanam Rajasekharan told reporters in Kochi that about 150 missionary workers under tourist and business visas in various parts of the country are converting people in violation of visa regulations. He claimed that five missionary workers from the United States in Kerala for three years had converted about 2,000 people. Rajasekharan said if the government failed to take steps to stop the “illegal functioning” of missionaries, the VHP would organize a “march” to their meetings sites and homes. Dr. Sam Paul of the All India Christian Council (AICC) told Compass, “There is absolutely no record or truth that there are 150 missionaries with tourist visas. There may be 150 tourists, and they may be all Christians, as majority of the tourists may be Christians. If the VHP’s allegation is true, India should close down its multi-million dollar tourist industry” ((‘India: News Briefs’ 2007, Compass Direct News, 29 June http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=4925&lang=en&lengt h=short&backpage=archives&critere=kerala&countryname=&rowcur=0 – Accessed 9 December 2008 – Attachment 25). According to recent media reports, Kerala police are cracking down on “godmen” and on those spiritual groups and leaders who are “amassing wealth” and this is affecting Christian evangelist groups in Kerala as well as other religious bodies. Many of the reports seem to indicate that police action against some Christian faith personages comes about as a result of agitation by Hindu groups. For example, The Hindu reports on the arrest of a Christian “faith- healer” in May 2008, stating: “The organisations held public rallies on Thursday and Friday, seeking police action against him. The march on Friday witnessed violent scenes”. Reporting on the same events, an article in The Christian Post states “[t]he police are involving and investigating Christians due to the framed allegations of Hindu fundamentalists who are irked by the crackdown against many Hindi godmen,” Pastor Abraham Kotaikal from the Revival Ministries in Kerala told Christian Today.” An entry on the Indian Rationalist Association website states “After rationalists and progressive media set the trend, youth organizations of the political parties jumped on the bandwagon and started to hunt enthusiastically for godmen – preferably for those close to their competitors. The Hindu- conservative BJP saw to it that Muslim godmen and Christian faith-healers were not spared either” (‘Raid at house, office of Heavenly Feast head’ 2008, The Hindu, 25 May http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/25/stories/2008052558810400.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 37; Samuel, D. 2008, ‘Christians Caught Up in Crackdown on Hindu Faith Healers’, Christian Post, 9 June http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080609/christians-caught-up-in-crackdown-on-hindu- faith-healers.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 38; ‘Godmen on the run’ 2008, Indian Rationalist Association web-log, 20 July http://indianrationalists.blogspot.com/2008/07/godmen-on-run.html – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 39; also see: Radhakrishnan, M. 2008, ‘In God’s Name’, India Today, 29 May http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid=&id=9 003&Itemid=1§ionid=21&completeview=1 – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 40).

4. Please provide information on whether the police provide adequate protection to persons from various religious groups, particularly Christians. Is the court system impartial and is there a human rights institution at the state level?

Police Protection A Times of India article reports that police tightened security at churches in affected Kerala districts during anti-Christian violence in September 2008 (‘Conversion fire spreads to Kerala’ 2008, Times of India, 17 September – Attachment 12).

As noted in previous questions, there are allegations that police sometimes act at the behest of Hindu nationalist groups. A December 2008 article reports:

S.A.R. Geelani, the Delhi University lecturer who was acquitted in the Parliament attack case, has lambasted the Kerala police for subscribing to “undemocratic” activities allegedly perpetrated by the Sangh Parivar, the Bharatiya Janata Party and its front outfits “by denying the citizens of India their right to expression.”

The police also prevented Mr. Geelani from meeting the former Supreme Court judge, V.R. Krishna Iyer, on Sunday evening. “There is police everywhere. The hotel looks like a cantonment. In the name of protection, they are keeping me under detention and it seems they are hand in glove with those who seek to curtail my freedom of expression,” Mr. Geelani told The Hindu over telephone. Justice Krishna Iyer expressed unhappiness at the police action and told The Hindu on the phone: “I condemn the police preventing Mr. Geelani from moving out of the hotel. I called the Commissioner and inquired about it, but he expressed ignorance of the incident.”

Mr. Geelani was scheduled to speak at a programme organised by the Minority Rights Watch at the Town Hall here on Sunday noon on the way a minority community is targeted on the issue of terrorism. “The police not only cancelled the permission they had granted earlier, but [also] attempted to thwart the media conference I was holding,” he told The Hindu.

Earlier on Friday, the police denied him permission to take out a rally in Alappuzha.

Around the time the media conference was to take place at the hotel where Mr. Geelani was staying, a group of Hindu Aikyavedi, BJP, ABVP and Yuva Morcha activists came marching to the hotel attempting to storm in. Just when they broke a few flowerpots, the police, led by Assistant Commissioner P.M. Varghese, blocked all entry points. While the protesters raised slogans against Mr. Geelani, their leaders chatted with the police.

Forty-five minutes later, the protesters marched on, but the police announced cancellation of the media conference even as Mr. Geelani called this correspondent and said the programme was still on.

The mediapersons had to argue with the police and some leaders still keeping guard, to get entry for an interaction with Mr. Geelani.

At the media conference, Mr. Geelani said: “It is unfortunate that in a country which is supposed to be the largest democracy, democratic rights of the citizens are being scuttled. Why are the police doing this? The Kerala I have been to was different” (Anandan, S. 2008, ‘Geelani slams Kerala police’, The Hindu, 1 December http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/01/stories/2008120160031400.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 41).

A September 2008 opinion piece by the president of the Centre for Policy research in Delhi states:

The increasing attacks on Christians in Karnataka, Orissa, Kerala and elsewhere are a moral scandal in more ways than one can list. The main focus of criticism so far has been rightly on the utter abdication by the state governments of their basic duty to protect the lives and property of citizens (‘Faith and us’ 2008, Indian Express, 23 September – Attachment 11).

There were allegations of police harassment during the investigations into the Divine Retreat Centre (Vallooran, A. 2008, ‘Truth Triumphs’, Divine Retreat Centre website, March http://www.drcm.org/DivineStatementMar2008/Main4.asp – Accessed 17 December 2008 – Attachment 5; ‘Retreat Center Asks Kerala State To Stop Police Harassment’ 2006, Indian Catholic News website, 11 October http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=3867 – Accessed 16 March 2007 – Attachment 6).

On the other hand, there were also earlier (anonymous) allegations that police were harassing those who had complained about the Divine Retreat Centre. A March 2008 article states:

The anonymous letter addressed to Justice Padmanabhan Nair alleged about sexual exploitation of women and murders in the “Divine Retreat Centre,” alleged that the local police was harassing the victims instead of taking action against the accused (‘SC slams Kerala HC for acting on anonymous petition’ 2008, The Hindu, 12 March http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200803121966.htm – Accessed 17 December 2008 – Attachment 9).

A 22 November 2008 article reports that the Indian government was creating a special branch in the security forces to guarantee adequate protection for the victims of anti-Christian violence:

The escalation of the situation has prompted the Indian government to create a special branch in the security forces, to stop the wave of violence that has overwhelmed the country. This morning, interior minister Shivraj Patil, during a summit with police leaders, recalled the violence against Christians in Orissa, Karnataka, and Kerala, adding that only a special security division can guarantee adequate protection for the victims and the displaced (‘Orissa, Hindu fundamentalists offer rewards for killing Christians’ 2008, AsiaNews, 22 November http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13824&size=A# – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 42).

Courts/Judiciary Information was not found on whether the court system in Kerala is impartial or not. It should be noted that, as detailed in Question 1, the High Court in Kerala was rebuked by the Supreme Court for “for treating an anonymous letter as a PIL [Public Interest Litigant] and ordering a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into alleged incidents of sexual exploitation and murders at a religious centre in Thrissur district”. The article states that the “bench of Justices S H Kapadia and B Sudershan Reddy cautioned that courts and judges should be vigilant against unscrupulous elements who as Public Interest Litigants abuse the judicial process for vested interest” (‘SC slams Kerala HC for acting on anonymous petition’ 2008, The Hindu, 12 March http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200803121966.htm – Accessed 17 December 2008 – Attachment 9).

Transparency International’s India Corruption Study (2005) states:

Going by the composite ranking of States on corruption involving common citizens and in the context of eleven public services, Kerala stands out as the least corrupt State in India, having 240 Composite score. All 11 public services [includes the judiciary] considered for the Study are ranked as the least corrupt among the rest of the States (Transparency International India 2005, India Corruption Study 2005, October, p. 191 http://www.tiindia.in/data/files/India%20Corruption%20Study-2005.pdf – Accessed 18 October 2006 – Attachment 43).

The study also has a section on corruption in the judiciary in India as a whole (Transparency International India 2005, India Corruption Study 2005, October, pp. 101-114 http://www.tiindia.in/data/files/India%20Corruption%20Study-2005.pdf – Accessed 18 October 2006 – Attachment 43).

Section 12 of the latest UK Home Office India country of origin report provides collated information on the judiciary in India generally (UK Home Office 2008, Country of Origin Information Report: India, 12 August, Section 12 – Attachment 44).

A 2005 Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada report looks at incidences of corruption in the judiciary in India generally (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2005, IND100769.EX – India: Incidence of corruption in the police service, judiciary, civil service, immigration authorities; government response to corruption in these areas (January 2003 – 2005), 14 December http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/publications/index_e.htm?docid=292&cid=107 – Accessed 11 December 2008 – Attachment 45).

State Human Rights Bodies There is a Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC). The website for the KSHRC is http://www.kshrc.kerala.gov.in/home.htm.

A website for the Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (CHRO) was also found (http://www.humanrightskerala.com/). The website states that “[b]ased in Kerala, the Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (CHRO) stand to protect, uphold and strengthen the rights of traditionally exploited and oppressed marginalized social segments of Tribals, Dalits, Minorities, Backward Castes, Women, Children and victims of State Violations”. The CHRO functions independently from State funds, according to its website (‘About CHRO’ 2001, Confederation of Human Rights Organizations website, 5 January http://www.humanrightskerala.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3&Itemi d=6 – Accessed 10 December 2008 – Attachment 46).

There is no State Minorities Commission for Kerala, according to the list on the National Commission for Minorities website (http://ncm.nic.in/state_minor_commi.html).

A July 2007 article reports that “Religious groups and officials from educational institutions together with the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly (Syro-Malabar Church) have decided to set up a Council for Minority Rights Protection” in Kerala (Carvalho, N. 2007, ‘Kerala: Church fighting for freedom of education’, AsiaNews, 16 July http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9837&size=A# – Accessed 9 December 2008 – Attachment 24).

5. Please identify other Indian states with large Christian communities with reasonable levels of religious tolerance.

According to the US Department of State international religious freedom report, “Christians are concentrated in the northeast, as well as in the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Goa. Three small northeastern states (Nagaland, , and Meghalaya) have large Christian majorities” (US Department of State 2008, International Religious Freedom Report for 2008 – India, 19 September – Attachment 10).

Question 2 of Research Response IND31759 provides information on relocation for Christians in India (RRT Country research 2007, Research Response IND31759, 21 May – Attachment 3).

Question 6 of Research Response IND31143 has collated relevant information from previous research responses on the subject of Christian populations of various Indian states and the situation for Christians in these states (RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response IND31143, 8 January – Attachment 47).

Question 3 of Research Response IND17783 provides information on Catholic and Christian demographics in Indian states, especially in relation to Tamil Nadu (RRT Country Research 2006, Research Response IND17783, 6 February – Attachment 48).

Research Response IND31233 provides information on Christians in Goa (RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response IND31233, 2 February – Attachment 49). List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources:

Google search engine http://www.google.com.au/

Databases:

FACTIVA (news database) BACIS (DIAC Country Information database) REFINFO (IRBDC (Canada) Country Information database) ISYS (RRT Research & Information database, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, US Department of State Reports) RRT Library Catalogue

List of Attachments

1. Deleted.

2. ‘Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh infiltrates Muringur Divine Retreat Centre’ (undated), Persecution Update India website http://persecution.in/node/1543 – Accessed 17 May 2007.

3. RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response IND31759, 21 May.

4. Chatterjee, J. 2007, ‘Police, Administration Clash Over Divine Retreat Centre Issue’, Christian today website, 23 June http://www.christiantoday.com/article/police.administration.clash.over.divine.retreat.c entre.issue/11255.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008.

5. Vallooran, A. 2008, ‘Truth Triumphs’, Divine Retreat Centre website, March http://www.drcm.org/DivineStatementMar2008/Main4.asp – Accessed 17 December 2008.

6. ‘Retreat Center Asks Kerala State To Stop Police Harassment’ 2006, Indian Catholic News website, 11 October http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=3867 – Accessed 16 March 2007.

7. ‘India: Catholic Retreat Centre Accused of Mass Killings, Rape, etc’ 2008, Alliance Support Group website, 23 May http://www.alliancesupport.org/news/archives/002321.html – Accessed 17 December 2008.

8. ‘SC sets aside Kerala HC order’ 2008, The Hindu, 12 March http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200803120371.htm – Accessed 17 December 2008.

9. ‘SC slams Kerala HC for acting on anonymous petition’ 2008, The Hindu, 12 March http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200803121966.htm – Accessed 17 December 2008. 10. US Department of State 2008, International Religious Freedom Report for 2008 – India, 19 September.

11. ‘Faith and us’ 2008, Indian Express, 23 September. (FACTIVA)

12. ‘Conversion fire spreads to Kerala’ 2008, Times of India, 17 September. (FACTIVA)

13. ‘Attack On Church: Security Beefed Up In Kerala Town’ 2008, United News of India, 15 September. (FACTIVA)

14. ‘Playing the communal card’ 2008, Economic Times, 17 September. (FACTIVA)

15. ‘Bishop slams CPM after attack by its students’ wing on college’ 2008, Gulf Times, 31 March http://www.gulf- times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=210183&version=1&template_i d=40&parent_id=22 – Accessed 19 December 2008.

16. Sailo, M., Carvalho, N. & Bhatia, S. 2008, ‘India briefs: Recent incidents of persecution’, Compass Direct News, 31 October.

17. Arora, V. 2008, ‘Christian couple killed, houses torched in Orissa, India’, Compass Direct News, 30 September.

18. Arora, V. 2008, ‘Murder, rape, arson continue in India’, Compass Direct News, 24 September.

19. Arora, V. & Bhatia, S. 2008, ‘Violence spreads to five more states in India’, Compass Direct News, 16 September.

20. ‘Indian churches troubled by religion attacks in “God’s own country” 2008, Christian Today website, source: Ecumenical News International, 12 June http://www.christiantoday.com/article/indian.churches.troubled.by.religion.attacks.in. gods.own.country/19482.htm – Accessed 9 December 2008.

21. ‘Death threat promises dismemberment of Indian bishop’ 2007, Catholic News Agency, 12 December http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11249 – Accessed 17 December 2008.

22. ‘Pastor and Wife Were Attacked in Kerala’ 2007, All India Christian Council website, 14 October http://indianchristians.in/news/content/view/1646/45/ – Accessed 22 December 2008.

23. ‘India: News Briefs’ 2007, Compass Direct News, 2 October http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=5060&lang=en &length=short&backpage=archives&critere=kerala&countryname=&rowcur=0 – Accessed 9 December 2008.

24. Carvalho, N. 2007, ‘Kerala: Church fighting for freedom of education’, AsiaNews, 16 July http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9837&size=A# – Accessed 9 December 2008.

25. ‘India: News Briefs’ 2007, Compass Direct News, 29 June http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=4925&lang=en &length=short&backpage=archives&critere=kerala&countryname=&rowcur=0 – Accessed 9 December 2008.

26. ‘India: News Briefs’ 2007, Compass Direct News, 25 May http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=4885&lang=en &length=short&backpage=archives&critere=kerala&countryname=&rowcur=0 – Accessed 9 December 2008.

27. Gold, J. 2007, ‘Authorities Close Church in India as Attacks Increase’, Christian Today website, 28 March http://www.christiantoday.com/article/authorities.close.church.in.india.as.attacks.incr ease/10142.htm – Accessed 9 December 2008.

28. RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response IND31446, 19 March.

29. Haviland, Charles 2002, ‘India’s Christians: Roots and disputes’, BBC News , 25 December http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2604455.stm - Accessed 1 September 2006.

30. ‘43 pc of Keralites are Muslims, Christians’ 2004, Times of India, 7 September http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/842261.cms – Accessed 10 December 2008.

31. Arora, V. 2008, ‘Communist Rulers Target Christian Schools in Kerala, India’, Compass Direct, 4 March.

32. Varghese, R. 2008, ‘Orissa Christians find shelter in Kerala state’, Christian Today website, 3 November http://www.christiantoday.com/article/orissa.christians.find.shelter.in.kerala.state/217 96.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008.

33. Radhakrishnan, M. 2008, ‘Matters of Faith’, India Today, 19 June http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?issueid=&id=10099&option=com_content &task=view§ionid=21 – Accessed 10 December 2008.

34. Krishnakumar, R. 2007, ‘Battle cry’, Frontline, vol. 24, issue 15, 28 July – 10 August http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2415/stories/20070810504103200.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008.

35. RRT Research & Information 2008, Research Response IND33237, 6 May.

36. ‘India: News Brief’ 2007, Compass Direct News, 12 September http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=5029&lang=en &length=short&backpage=archives&critere=kerala&countryname=&rowcur=0 – Accessed 10 December 2008.

37. ‘Raid at house, office of Heavenly Feast head’ 2008, The Hindu, 25 May http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/25/stories/2008052558810400.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008.

38. Samuel, D. 2008, ‘Christians Caught Up in Crackdown on Hindu Faith Healers’, Christian Post, 9 June http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080609/christians- caught-up-in-crackdown-on-hindu-faith-healers.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008.

39. ‘Godmen on the run’ 2008, Indian Rationalist Association web-log, 20 July http://indianrationalists.blogspot.com/2008/07/godmen-on-run.html – Accessed 10 December 2008.

40. Radhakrishnan, M. 2008, ‘In God’s Name’, India Today, 29 May http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid =&id=9003&Itemid=1§ionid=21&completeview=1 – Accessed 10 December 2008.

41. Anandan, S. 2008, ‘Geelani slams Kerala police’, The Hindu, 1 December http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/01/stories/2008120160031400.htm – Accessed 10 December 2008.

42. ‘Orissa, Hindu fundamentalists offer rewards for killing Christians’ 2008, AsiaNews, 22 November http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13824&size=A# – Accessed 10 December 2008.

43. Transparency International India 2005, India Corruption Study 2005, October http://www.tiindia.in/data/files/India%20Corruption%20Study-2005.pdf – Accessed 18 October 2006.

44. UK Home Office 2008, Country of Origin Information Report: India, 12 August, Section 12.

45. Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2005, IND100769.EX – India: Incidence of corruption in the police service, judiciary, civil service, immigration authorities; government response to corruption in these areas (January 2003 – 2005), 14 December http://www.irb- cisr.gc.ca/en/research/publications/index_e.htm?docid=292&cid=107 – Accessed 11 December 2008.

46. ‘About CHRO’ 2001, Confederation of Human Rights Organizations website, 5 January http://www.humanrightskerala.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id= 3&Itemid=6 – Accessed 10 December 2008.

47. RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response IND31143, 8 January.

48. RRT Country Research 2006, Research Response IND17783, 6 February.

49. RRT Country Research 2007, Research Response IND31233, 2 February.

50. ‘Brief History’ 2007, Divine Retreat Centre website, last updated 17 May http://www.drcm.org/dvineretreat/generalinfo/topics.asp?topic=History – Accessed 17 May 2007.