Save the Persecuted Christians: 14 US Senators Sign Letter to Name India One of Worst Offenders of Religious Freedom
Senators Demand “Targeted Sanctions” Against Indian Agencies and Officials Responsible for Increased Persecution of Minorities
WASHINGTON—Save the Persecuted Christians, which advocates on behalf of hundreds of millions of Christians facing heavy persecution worldwide, applauds the 14 US Senators—10 Republicans and 4 Democrats—who have signed a letter to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, asking that India be named a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), following the recommendation of the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
The letter states that this designation will allow both the Government and USCIRF to “enable the international community to identify atrocities, encourage progress, and develop solutions.”
The letter, primarily endorsed by the Coalition to Stop Genocide in India (CSGI), a broad coalition of Indian American and US-based civil rights groups, requests that the US Secretary of State accept its recommendation that India be named as a CPC in the event that the Government does not to accept the recommendations by the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The letter requires the State Department to inform the US Congress of its reason within a period of 30 days of making that determination.
Dede Laugesen, Executive Director of Save the Persecuted Christians, said, “We are watching this very carefully—this designation is crucial. It’s the first step in developing solutions to help right the severe persecution of the non-Hindu community and making the world a safer place for all at-risk religious populations in India.
“We are encouraged that, according to the CSGI, the Senators’ signatures indicate strong bipartisan Congressional support for holding India accountable for its escalating violence against its principal minorities, the Muslims and the Christians.”
The Senators who signed the letter are Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi).
Save the Persecuted Christians is working to raise awareness about the plight of over 300 million Christians facing brutal and extreme violence and injustice in countries around the world. The organization — an informal, national coalition — began in February 2018 and reorganized as a formal charitable organization in December 2018.
The mission of Save the Persecuted Christians is to save lives and save souls by disseminating actionable information about the magnitude of the persecution taking place globally and by mobilizing concerned Americans for the purpose of disincentivizing further attacks on those who follow Jesus.
With so much of the world’s Christian population being imprisoned and/or harassed for their beliefs, such as Christians in India, the need has never been greater for the sort of grassroots campaign STPC’s SaveUs Movement is working to foster. Its efforts are modeled after a miraculously successful one that helped free another population suffering from heavy persecution—Soviet Jews—by penalizing those in the Kremlin responsible for such repression. Through this movement, Save the Persecuted Christians endeavors to provide American policymakers with the popular support they need to effect real change worldwide and alleviate systemically the suffering being experienced by so many of those following Christ.
