An Open Letter of Indian Dalit Christians to HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI and Church Authority

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) December 23, 2011 -- New Delhi, Friday, December 23, 2011
The debate related to the status of Christians in India is going on. There are two points to this wide ranging debate. Firstly, social, economic and political status of converted Christians and second is growing tension in different parts of the country due to conversion related activities. The second has more to do with the way Church adopt to function in the country.

Downtrodden class in India has always been victim of unequal treatment, casteism and social exploitation. In order to seek solace and relief from their pathetic condition they are still coming under the aegis of church for the last 3 or 4 centuries. But, here, too, they have been exploited in the name of caste and race. The hope with which they had come in the Christianity seems to have forfeited. On the contrary, they are now entangled in even deeper quagmire of inequality.
Converted Christians are the backbone of Catholic Church in India but their participation in the structure of Catholic Church is zero. Bishop, Father and Cardinal from this class are rare to find and those who somehow managed after hard fought struggle are standing marginalized in the society. They are being treated differently by their upper-class brothers (Bishops and Fathers).

There is a widespread anger among converted Christians against the policies adopted by the church. They have started demanding their rights within the existing structure of church. The response of church has been abysmal in this regard. The church leadership has termed this anger unjustified. Instead of addressing the genuine concerns of converted Christians they have shied away from their responsibilities and are trying to shift it on government of India. This is being done in order to fulfill their own ulterior motive. By doing so church is pushing these people in the same quagmire of caste system.
After government of India, church is the only organized entity that can make available jobs but the participation of converted Christians is very low and maximum they can get is post of driver, cook, clerk, peon and gatekeeper. These jobs, too, can be availed on the mercy of Bishops and their condition is no better than slave laborer.

Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM), an umbrella organization of Dalit Christians, asks church to compensate for the injustice and exploitation meted out to millions of converted Christians. Vatican had done this in the past and it can also be done here.
Church receives huge donation in the name of social service and development of disciples of the faith but hardly anything has changed on the ground. This is certainly a food for thought that where this money goes?

PCLM is of the view that church officials don’t want to leave any benefit currently enjoyed by them at any cost. They are not at all concerned with the betterment of converted Christians. This is why there is no hint of betterment of the status of this community even in distant future. The current system harbours inequality. That is why it will be wrong to expect that things will change in near future.
Converted Christians appeal Pope Benedict XVI and Church Authority to take concrete step for the change in fundamental structure of church which will help the deprived section of Christian community to look up.
R L Francis
President
Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM)
Full letter is awailble at www.dalitchristian.com