Report on investigation of the desecration of Crosses and graves in South Goa
Press
Release
Fact
finding team’s brief report on investigation of the desecration of Holy Crosses
and graves in South Goa
A five member team
visited the sites of desecration of religious structures and burial places across
South Goa on 14 July 2017 to understand the ground reality. The
members of the fact finding team were Adv. Irfan Engineer, Director, Centre for
Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) and Neha Dabhade associated with CSSS,
Fr. Savio Fernandes, Executive Secretary, Council for Social Justice and Peace
(CSJP), Ranjan Solomon and Roselle Solomon, prominent activists working for
rights of minorities associated with CSJP.
The team visited the
sites of desecration at Curtorim, Chandor, Gudi-Paroda and Curchorem in South
Goa. They spoke to the priests of the related Churches, members of the
Christian community, people’s elected representatives, politicians and people
from across various faiths. Till the time of going to the press the team was
unable to meet the police officials due to time constraints although
appointments were fixed, however the team will meet the officials prior to the
final report.
The observations on
ground points to a possibility that the incidents of desecration and vandalism
are a part of a pattern which is planned and executed by the same persons or organizations.
All the attacks have been executed with heavy steel implements directed at the bases
of the structures to cause maximum damage. The team sensed the pain and anguish
which was palpable in the shock and fear on the faces of the members of the
community.
The general perception
of the community pointed to certain statements at a Hindu conclave and during
the visit of a National office bearer of the political party in Government as
possibly encouraging such incidents.
The desecrations are
carried out in a form of a campaign to strike fear, insecurity and mistrust among
communities in Goa. Most of the desecrated crosses visited by the team have
been targeted more than once in the past more particularly hinged around
political developments in the state. The law and order machinery have failed to
solve the cases and apprehend the culprits responsible for such crimes thereby
emboldening the perpetrators. The helplessness and fear prevalent in the
Christian community is giving rise to a feeling of being treated as second
class citizens.
The following are the
primary findings after the interactions:
The atmosphere in Goa
is vitiated and communalized to cause polarization through relentless anti
minority narrative. Christians and Muslims are especially targets of
demonization through false propaganda. Muslims are portrayed as terrorists and
loyal to Pakistan while Christians are portrayed as being agents of Portugal and
anti-nationals and seeking to convert members of other religious communities
through fraud/ inducement.
The fact finding team
recommends that strict action in accordance with law be taken against
individuals/organizations indulging in hate campaigns against minorities in
Goa and those responsible for desecration and vandalism. To ensure transparency
it would be appropriate to order a judicial commission to investigate the
desecrations in a time bound manner. The team also urged the civil society
organizations to continue their struggle for justice to the citizens of Goa.
Incidentally, at the
time of going to the press, it has been reported that one Mr. Francis Pereira
has admitted to have single handedly desecrated and vandalized one hundred and
forty odd religious symbols since the last five years. The team strongly feels
that the arrest appears as a familiar script to similar crimes across the
country to pacify the civil society and the affected
communities and divert attention from the actual perpetrators. The extensive
damage caused as witnessed by the fact finding team could not have been
possibly inflicted by a single person, more over who is 50 years old. The fact
finding team demands an impartial investigation into the crimes.
Centre for Study of Society and
Secularism (CSSS)
Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP)