wfn.org | Indian Leader Calls on Adventists to Support Refugees

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

August 13, 1999
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
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APD@stanet.ch
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Indian Leader Calls on Adventists to Support Refugees

Washington, D.C., USA/ANN/APD    Indian Member of Parliament 
Narendra Mohan, in an interview on July 29,  pleaded for Adventist 
churches to support the displaced people in northern India.  More 
than 400,000 people from Kashmir and Jammu need help due to 
religious terrorism that has forced them out of their homes with no 
hope of returning.  Currently, they are living in tents but they have 
needs that exceed beyond shelter.

"India, the world's largest democracy, is totally committed to 
religious freedom, yet there are areas in which religious liberty is 
looked upon with skepticism, " said Mohan to Richard Lee Fenn of 
the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Religious Liberty department. 

For the most part however, India enjoys "unity in diversity."  They 
believe that no one can deny anyone else's religious freedom.  "It is 
a fundamental right from birth," said Mohan.  

Mohan pledged to help facilitate the forthcoming World Conference 
on Religious Freedom in New Delhi and urged Adventist leaders to 
invite Ambassador Naresh Chandra and Mr. Sreenivasan, deputy 
chief of mission in India, to visit the Church's world headquarters. 
[98/12/10]