GOANOW - Overseas(April 1999)

Many Goans joined in the Rally for Religious Harmony at the Nathan Phillips Square, downtown Toronto, on March 20 to express their concern and sorrow over the recent attacks against Christians in India.

There was a small band of members from the International Goan Organization (IGO), including president Zulema de Souza, and the Can-Go Liberal Volunteers, a lobby group of Goans from the Canorient Christian Association and the Goan Overseas Association (GOA).

Though there were some GOA members who came on their own, the body was represented by Neves Menezes, former president and currently chairman of the Goan Charitable Organization, a sister-association of the GOA.

The crowd of more than 450 people listened attentively to speakers urge the Indian government to take stern steps to prevent further abuse of human rights against Christians and other minorities.

One of the five Indo-Canadian MPs in the Canadian Parliament, Gurbax Singh Malhi (Liberal) declared that all nations, including Canada, must "continue to work hard to persuade the Indian government to take effective measures aimed at protecting the constitutional rights of minorities."

Malhi added, "Unless minorities are protected, the law and order situation will continue to rage out of control. We have to work together towards universal respect for all religious. There is no place for narrow-mindedness."

Rev Bernard Chand, of Delaware, USA, read a message from John Dayal, convenor, United Front of Christians for Human Rights, which is in the forefront of the fight for social justice. In his message, Dayal welcomed the support and the initiative taken by Canadians in organizing the rally and he hoped that the Canadian government would listen to the voices of its citizens.

Well-known journalist Eugene Correia, chairperson of the organizing committee, said secularism is under threat with the rise of religious chauvinism. "The challenge before India is not the challenge of Christianity but of national unity. There is a new crisis of nationhood. The country not only has to survive but the very idea of India must remain alive. As the new millennium approaches, India must remain strong and free for all citizens to practice their religions--a right guaranteed under the Constitution," he added.

Host of 100 Huntley Street, David Mainse, a TV evangelist, informed that it is important to respect all religions. Christians must not adopt holier-than-thou attitude, he added. He said his own experience of India was 30 years ago when he went to Calcutta to help a fellow Canadian who had set up the Mission of Mercy.

Rev. John Lapoli, president of the US-based World Council of Independent Churches, said he is seriously involved in lobbying the United States government and the United Nations to bring pressure on the Indian government to stop the continuing violence. He said the foreign contributions going to the VHP helped in the Hindu fundamentalist groups from carrying on the hate campaign.

Yogesh Yahurde, of the Toronto-based Ambedkar Centre for Peace and Justice, remarked that even after 50 years of independence the dalits lead humiliating lives. The rally was sponsored by the Canadian Council of South Asian Christians.

EUGENE CORREIA
(Reporting from Canada) ^gn