India: 83 year-old Jesuit priest arrested on bogus terror charges + PETITION

Fr Stan Swamy SJ

Source: Fides/Jesuits in India/BBC

A frail 83 year-old Jesuit priest who has worked with the poorest tribespeople in the state of Jharkhand, eastern India, for more than three decades, was taken from his home in Ranchi and arrested by the National Investigation Agency last Thursday. Fr Stan Swamy was then flown to Mumbai where he is being held in custody until 23 October.

The Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) of the Society of Jesus said in a statement:

"The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) working in more than 80 countries all over the world are deeply pained to know that yesterday (8 October 2020) evening the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Fr Stan Swamy SJ, an 83 year old Jesuit, belonging to Jamshedpur Jesuit Province, from his residence in Ranchi, Jharkhand - India. This morning, we are informed that he has been taken to Mumbai to be questioned in the Elgar Parishad event that preceded the violence between Dalits and Marathas at Bhima Koregaon near Pune on December 31, 2017. The NIA accuses him of personal links with the banned extremist groups of Maoists and Naxalites. Stan is the latest one among the 16 people arrested including well-known rights defenders Arun Ferreira and Sudha Bharadwaj, both lawyers, and Vernon Gonsalvez and Varavara Rao both writers.

"Fr Stan, a human rights defender has been in Bagaicha, a Jesuit-run Social Action Centre, for the past 15 years, primarily working with the Adivasis (Indigenous community), for the defense, propagation and protection of their rights as enshrined in the Constitution of India. Fr Stan's room was raided twice, once on August 28, 2018 and again on June 12, 2019, and he was questioned for more than 15 hours over a span of five days in July - August 2020.

"Stan professed his commitment to the Constitution of India and peaceful means of expressing dissent while questioning any form injustice done to the vulnerable Adivasis by state and police. He always dared to speak truth to power and expose the large-scale abuse of power using anti-terror and sedition laws and land grabbing without due process of consultation as required. He also meticulously documented and published the untold sufferings of hundreds of Adivasi youth, who were falsely implicated and imprisoned for exercising their right to defend their resources.

"Around 2pm (India), Fr Stan was given a charge sheet and taken to jail. He is charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, under which bail is denied to the accused. Two days before his arrest, Fr Stan had recorded a video to be released in case arrest takes place.

"We, as Jesuits involved in works of education, caring and defending the rights of the poor and the vulnerable all over the world, stand in solidarity with Stan and other human rights defenders in India and strongly condemn the arrest of Fr Stan Swamy, demand immediate release and refrain from arbitrary arrests of innocent law abiding citizens."

Father Frazer Mascarenhas, manager of St Stanislaus High School and a former principal of St Xavier's College, said: "Fr Stan has worked for decades in the most democratic manner, using the legal system, to safeguard the land rights of tribals in Jharkhand.

"He is being accused of being involved in a violent Maoist movement, as have other intellectuals and human rights workers like Adv Arun Ferreira. and Vernon Gonsalves. The Jesuits in India request you to join us in showing solidarity to these activists who live their lives for others."

Manan Ganguli from India Matters UK. said Fr Stan "has given his life to uplift indigenous people's rights and wellbeing in Jharkhand. He has been connected with the Bhima Koregaon case and his house was raided on more than one occasion; and, recently he has been extensively interrogated by the NIA. NIA could not find anything to connect him with Bhima Koregaon, so have arrested this afternoon forcibly, so I understand."

Fr Stan is the oldest person in India to be accused ot terrorism. Since June 2018 Prime Minister Modi's BJP government has jailed 16 people, including some of India's most respected scholars, lawyers, human rights defenders Arun Ferreira and Sudha Bharadwaj, both lawyers, and Vernon Gonsalves and Varavara Rao, both writers. One elderly poet is reported to have contracted Covid in prison. They have all been repeatedly denied bail. Professor Sangeeta Kamat, from the University of Massachusetts told the BBC: "This is absolutely appalling. The repression of human rights defenders had never been more extreme in India."

Fr Stan Swam SJ made the following video shortly before his arrest: www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_q77clUazw

On Monday a prayer service was held praying for Fr Stan's release. See: www.youtube.com/watch?v=N44sTnL0D3M&pbjreload=101

A Silent Protest at Guwahati by Northeast Solidarity Group was held yesterday: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD2Qc8OuJHc&feature=youtu.be

Sign the PETITION: www.change.org/p/devendra-fadnavis-appeal-for-fr-stan-swamy calling for the false charges against Fr Stan Swamy to be dropped and demanding his release.

See Letter: ICN 16 October - We are praying for Fr Stan Swamy - www.indcatholicnews.com/news/40691