Clergy Decry India Attacks

November 16, 2008

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/entertainment_living/religion.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-11-16-0030.html

A series of violent attacks on Christians in India calls for a "strong and urgent American response," a broad group of U.S. Christian leaders urged President Bush in a letter.

"What has happened recently in India, and has been happening over the past few years, is tantamount to 'religious cleansing' of Christians and other minorities by extremists," said the letter signed by 24 Catholic, Orthodox, mainline Protestant and evangelical leaders. "This in the world's largest democracy that is a nuclear power and recently sent a mission to the moon."

The letter states: "You should insist, in the strongest terms, that these reprehensible groups and the assenting local government agencies be brought into conformity with India's rule of law."