Brussels, 24/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - In a joint resolution from the EPP-ED, PES, ALDE and UEN Groups, adopted on Wednesday 24 September ahead of the EU-India summit in Marseilles on 29 September, the European Parliament has urged the Indian government to guarantee the right of religious freedom in the country, which has seen the persecution of religious minorities, and in particular Christians.
One of the main objectives of the summit is to bring fresh impetus to negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement, noted the president in office of the Council and the French secretary of state for European Affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, opening the debate. Energy and climate change; international issues (Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar, Iran and Pakistan) are also on the agenda, he said. The Presidency also hopes to sign a civil aeronautics cooperation agreement, initialled at the start of the year. Speaking on behalf of the European Commission, Margot Wallström highlighted the Euro-Indian political dialogue, which extends to combating terrorism, trade issues and the financial and food crises.
MEPs speaking on behalf of their groups without exception denounced the persecution of religious minorities in India, Christians in particular, including the victims of violence in Ossira, where their churches were destroyed. Polish MEP Konrad Szymánski for the UEN, Dutch MEP Bastiaan Belder for the IND/DEM and Belgian MEP Phillip Claeys for the non-attached also criticised the federal government for not taking action and Indian states for not protecting the religious minorities and punishing those responsible for the persecution. Speaking in a personal capacity, Mario Mauro (EPP-ED, Italy) reproached Jouyet for “not condemning the disappearance of religious freedom in India”. “We ask that, in Marseilles, the EU reminds India that religious freedom is fundamental to the development of democracy and the human rights violations means the end of constructive relations between the EU and India,” he said. “We cannot close our eyes to the failure to respect the rights of those who are not part of the right caste,” said Eril Maijer (GUE/NGL, Netherlands), highlighting the differences in the treatment and rights of Hindus on the one hand and Christians and Muslims on the other. “We have to go beyond our trading interests and not simply stress a free-trade agreement with a country which abuses human rights,” added Polish MEP Miroslaw Piotrowski (UEN). “India is a country which is devoted to cultural and religious pluralism,” responded Jouyet, refuting the accusations of passivity levelled at the Indian government. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called the persecution of Christians “a national disgrace” and provided 3,000 police officers to protect them, Jouyet added. Previously, speaking on behalf of her group, German MEP Gisela Kallenbach said the Greens would not add their name to a joint resolution that called India a model of cultural and religious pluralism, when religious minorities were suffering at the hands of fundamentalist Hindus, whose trials were being delayed by the Indian justice system.
Among the other points raised in the debate, Charles Tannock (EPP-ED, UK) and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne (ALDE, UK) denounced the attacks against India, both in the country and in Afghanistan, and stressed how important it was for the EU to help India in combating terrorism, through exchange of intelligence. Highlighting India's role as a regional power for security in Asia, Tannock also argued for a permanent seat for India on the UN Security Council. Also highlighting its role for peace and international security, Spanish MEP Emilio Menéndez del Valle called on India, which has just concluded a civil nuclear agreement with the United States, to be responsible and abide by the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). German Green MEP Angelika Beer railed against the “lack of courage” shown by the EP in its resolution criticising the Indo-American nuclear agreement (see EUROPE 9736). On democracy, Menéndez del Valle had previously called for India to join the International Criminal Court and sign the international convention against torture. On trade, Tannock, followed by Sajjad Karim (ALDE, UK) called on European and Indian leaders to provide fresh impetus to bilateral free trade agreements negotiations. On social issues, Nicholson and Kallenbach called on European leaders to discuss the issues of child labour and fundamental labour rights in India frankly with Mr Singh. Neena Gill (PES, UK) regretted that the EP resolution did not highlight terrorism, climate change and enhancing the economic partnership.
In its resolution, the EP argues for stronger strategic relations between the EU and India, and reiterates its commitment to the conclusion of a bilateral free trade agreement by the end of 2008. Bemoaning the failure of Doha talks in July as a result of an Indo-American disagreement over customs duties on agricultural products, the EP calls on New Delhi to work to find agreement before the end of the year. With regard to climate change, the EP urges development of common policies to tackle climate change and underlines the need for the EU and India to commit themselves to an international post-Kyoto emissions reduction agreement, acknowledging the difficulties for India as a still developing nation. One month after the nuclear suppliers group approved the civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the US and India, the EP calls on New Delhi to turn its moratorium on nuclear trials into a legally binding commitment. In the face of the instability of the political situation in Pakistan and the growing climate of insecurity in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, the EP expresses the hope that India, as the most important country in the region, will work for the stability of the region. On the domestic front, the EP deplores the riots in Jammu and Kashmir in August and calls on the Indian government to take action to ensure the stability of the state for elections to be held. Furthermore, while acknowledging that India provides a model of management of cultural and religious pluralism, it expresses its concern over the current situation faced by Christians and regrets the impact of “anti-conversion” laws to be found in several Indian states, on religious freedom. Criticising the attacks on Christians in Orissa, the EP calls on the federal state and on Indian states to give full protection to the Christian minority. Noting that India's food security remains a matter of concern, the EP calls on New Delhi to increase domestic production of cereals for foodstuffs, by attracting investment, introducing new technologies and diversifying crops. While welcoming progress made by India in eradicating poverty, it deplores the slowness of progress on education, health, gender equality and the emancipation of women. (E.H./transl.rt)