FIACONA elects new team – Concerned over rising persecution in India

The 'Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America' (FIACONA) held its Eight General Body Meeting in New York, this week.

Representatives from several Indian Christian organisations attended the event, which apart from the election of new Executive Board members also apprised the Christians of the persecuted Church and the degrading 'Religious Freedom' in India.

Its outgoing President Abraham Mammen, speaking at the meeting, expressed concern over the escalating persecution against the Christian community in the country.

He further referred to the recently updated HSC report and said that the Hindutva groups in the US are actively exploiting the US college campuses with their campaign of hate.

Christian Today learned that the meeting passed a resolution requesting the Government of Orissa to rehabilitate the refugees from the Christmas riots of 2007 and bring the culprits who perpetrated the violence on innocent people to justice without further delay.

FIACONA reaffirmed its role as North America's main advocacy group focused on the security and religious freedom of the Christian community in India. The Meeting emphasized the need to further strengthen FIACONA's member networks in North America besides encouraging and supporting the Christian institutions in India.

The members of the body were urged to play more active role in building new alliances with other likeminded organizations in the United States.

FIACONA noted that thousands of Christians still live in fear and anguish in Orissa, and their appalling condition is worsening day by day.

Rev. Bernard Malik of Delaware succeeded Mr. Abraham Mammen of New York, as the President of FIACONA. Titus Mathew of Texas was elected as the next General Secretary along with Mr. Mike Masand as Joint Secretary.

Rev. Bernard Malik expressed the need to strengthen FIACONA's work to build awareness on these issues within the Indian American community in the United States and emphasized that FIACONA was totally committed to ensuring constitutional guarantees of religious freedom for everyone.

The organisation vies to help safeguard the religious freedom of persecuted Christians in India by bringing awareness in the US among Christian churches by conducting seminars, conferences, symposiums and other means of education.