New Delhi (Fides Service) – Justice but not revenge has been requested by the Catholic Bishops of India with regard to a death sentence issued to Dara Singh found guilty of murdering Australian Protestant missionary Graham Staines and his two children in 1999 in Orissa State, India.
Mr Singh was given the death penalty on 22 September by the Court in Bhubanswar district, Orissa; his accomplices were given life imprisonment. The defending lawyer has said he will appeal.
Father Babu Joseph, spokesman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference told Fides Service: “law and justice must take their course: the sentence issued by the Court confirms our conviction that in India there is a state of law. The verdict proves that in India justice works and guarantees the rights of defenceless people. But we are in any case contrary to the death penalty; it goes against the fundamental Christian principle of respect and defence of life. We hope that every person may be offered a chance to make restitution and return to life in society”.
Father Babu expressed solidarity and sympathy for Mr Singh’s family “he is only a victim he was instigated to commit crimes. The Gospel teaches us to forgive our enemies”.
Graham Staines worked among lepers in Orissa for thirty years. Dara Singh and others set fire to the camper in which the missionary and his sons, aged 11 and 7, were sleeping during the night of 22 January 1999. The attackers said the Christian missionary was proselytising and forcefully converting villagers in the area. PA (Fides Service 24/9/2003 EM lines 304 Words: 29)