Christian Conversions: The real threat to 'Indigeneity of Indian Adivasis'

Christian conversion is a real threat for the indigenous people of India. This is how;

 

Along with the entire world, India also celebrates World indigenous People's Day on 9th Aug, or what we Indians refer to as 'Vishwa Adivasi Diwas'. The birth anniversary of tribal legend Birsa Munda; Nov 15th, is also celebrated as Janajati Gourav Diwas. Both the days are important for the tribes, one globally while the other nationally. However, the purpose of celebrating the two days is different.

 

 

 

 

The World indigenous People's Day is celebrated globally to spread awareness about the indigenous population around the world and to also protect their rights. The day is celebrated to recognize the cultural diversity these communities are responsible for. Whereas the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda; is celebrated as Janajati Gourav Diwas with the purpose to salute tribal valor of the country, as the tribes of India have played an extremely vital role against foreign rulers since ages.

 

As per the 2011 census, Adivasi population in the country is 104.2 million, which is 8.6 per cent of the total population of India. Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Karnataka are the states having a large number of Tribal populations.

 

 

 

 

When we talk about the North Eastern states comprising of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and also the state of Sikkim, the region is home to about 145 tribal communities, out of which 78 are larger groups; each with a population of more than 5000 persons. In Mizoram particularly the tribes constitute 94.75 per cent of the total population of the state.

 

Since we are celebrating the cultural diversity that these tribes bring into the world, it is necessary to look at another aspect of demographic data of Indian tribes. According to the Religion Data Census of 2011 published by Centre For Policy Studies (CPS), the North East India resembles a major region of Christian concentration in India today. Of the 2.78 Cr Christians counted in 2011, 78 lakh are in the North East. The recent cross border migrations into Mizoram after Junta rule in Myanmar must have further increased their numbers.

 

 

 

 

In consideration of the marginalization of Tribal population of India, these communities are easily targeted by missionaries. In fact , it has been so historically. During the 19th century, several American Baptist missionaries evangelized in the northeastern parts of India. In 1876, Dr. E. W. Clark first went to live in a Naga village, four years after his Assamese helper, Godhula, baptized the first Naga converts. Dr. E. W. Clark and his wife served as missionaries in Nagaland.

 

The North Eastern insurgency therefore, where based on the principle of sons of soil, merely with an ideological deception several in the North East are convinced for independent statehood and thus separatist elements are nurtured. The two issues of Christian conversions and insurgency, although might seem as isolated issues, but function in a co dependent manner.

 

 

 

 

Christian missionaries, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh, are reportedly functioning beyond conversions by making the local tribals believe that all of them are genetically indistinguishable with the Nagas. This feeling itself nurtures separatist sentiments and eventually lead the tribals to insurgency. With this, the issue of Christian conversion of North Eastern tribes exceeds the bounds of culture and reaches the domain of national security.

 

Moving to other tribal dominated regions, another cluster of Christian conversions is observed around Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand border. The challenges ahead of the tribal of the region are just the same as that for the North East. However, here the insurgency is called 'Naxalism'. Naxalism is a big concern for the tribal culture of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. In fact there are instances where Christian missionaries merely for the aim of conversions are reportedly funding naxal groups at places.

 

The purpose of celebrating Vishwa Adivasi Diwas is to recognize the cultural diversity associated with the tribal population of the world. However, in case of India, this indigeneity of tribal culture is threatened because of religious conversions and Naxalism.