Solidarity and Co-operation
The Lutheran World Federation in its Council meeting during 22-27 October 2009 at Chavannes-de-Bogis near Geneva, Switzerland has unanimously resolved a resolution on ‘Justice for Dalits.’ The nine-point recommendation in the resolution reflects the commitment of the LWF for our struggle for Justice. Earlier in September 2009, the World Council of Churches in its Central Committee meeting at Geneva has also issued a Statement on Caste based discrimination and has called on its member churches to "recognize that the continued discrimination and exclusion of millions of people on the basis of caste " which is "serious challenge to the credibility of their witness to their faith in God". Both the global councils have upheld the Bangkok declaration on internationalizing Dalit issue as faith issue.
On behalf of the NCCI-Commission on Dalits (COD), we express our deep sense of gratitude to the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation for expressing their passionate commitment and strong solidarity to our Dalit struggles through their profound and meaningful statements. These Statements come at a time when the Indian churches are striving hard in advocating for the rights of Dalits as Human Rights and are working towards ensuring justice to our Dalit brothers and sisters. These Statements certainly strengthen the commitment of our India Churches and I am hopeful that the member churches of both these global Councils shall continue to express their solidarity and partnership for this our Dalit cause.
Our thanks also will go on record for all global partners for their advocacy and lobbying work that is being done at United National level, at International Labour organization and other agencies to address untouchability and caste based discrimination around the world. We specially appreciate the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for her recent statement on “Tearing down the walls of caste,” which directs a ray of hope in describing caste discrimination as a human rights violation. The recent visit of World Council of Churches Living Letters Team to India, which was facilitated here by the National Council of Churches in India, had also expressed their solidarity with the struggles of Dalits in India, especially with the Dalit victims and survivors of the recent violence in Orissa, for which we thank them as well.
The National Council of Churches in India, Commission on Dalits is will join the Safai Karmachari Andolan in their campaign for elimination of manual scavenging by the end of 2010. Efforts are on, as churches, to join this campaign and to counter all forms of occupational discrimination done in the name of caste. We seek the Churches to join in this campaign.
Our struggle for ensuring justice to Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin, who are denied Scheduled Caste status, have also been continuing amidst hope against hope. We as the National Coordination Committee for Dalit Christians (a joint Committee of NCCI and CBCI) have been on the move and are gearing up for a Parliament March and Dharna in collaboration with the National Council for Dalit Christians on 18th November, 2009 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. We further seek your support in this initiative to exercise pressure on the Government of India in ensuring justice to this our cause and our people. Christians in large numbers along with Muslims will join in this Dharna to express our support for this our cause.
We are happy to inform you that the recently concluded General Body Meeting of NCCI has also resolved to observe Dalit Liberation Sunday on the 6th December 2009 jointly with the CBCI in their respective constituencies, which is a welcome move in the history of NCCI for the cause of Dalit liberation. The theme for this year is ‘Crossing Boundaries and Building Bridges: Overcoming Prejudices’. The communiqué on the observance of Dalit Liberation Sunday along with posters and liturgy will be sent out shortly. Churches are encouraged to kindly observe this Sunday in your local churches and try to sensitize the local churches on this issue of ours.
In all our endeavours for the cause of Dalits in India, we earnestly seek your prayerful support, cooperation, collaboration, commitment and solidarity. Justice is always triumphant and as people of faith who believe in the triumph of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us join hand in hand in fighting against the cruel evil of caste and its manifestations and work towards liberation and justice.
Rt. Rev. Dr. B.S. Devamani Rev. Raj Bharath Patta
Chairperson Executive Secretary
Commission on Dalits Commission on Dalits
National Council of Churches in India National Council of Churches in India
Statement on the "Caste-Based Discrimination Challenges Christian Witness"
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/article/1634/caste-based-discriminatio.html
Ms. Pillay's views and op-ed was first made public on the media sites.
http://www.modernghana.com/news/242412/1/tearing-down-the-wall-of-caste.html
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=189244
Bangkok Declaration
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/wcc-programmes/unity-mission-evangelism-and-spirituality/just-and-inclusive-communities/dalits/03-09-the-bangkok-declaration-and-call.html
WCC Living Letters Visit to India
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/browse/2/article/1634/indian-christian-leaders.html | 
