India: Suicide rates high among Christians, Dalits and tribal people

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India | 08 July 2016

On 9 June 2016, UCA News reported that the Indian government has published a new report on the levels of suicide in the country. The most remarkable findings were the high rate of suicides among Christians, Dalits and tribal people. Christian leaders stated that they needed to study the report more deeply but also pointed out the levels of discrimination that these communities face. Father Z. Devasagayaraj, secretary of the Indian Catholic Bishops' Commission for Dalit and Indigenous people, remarked: "It is a very disturbing since Christianity is so pro-life". Rolf Zeegers, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, agrees that the data gives a strong indication of the hopelessness many groups in India are facing. Dalits (formerly known as outcasts or untouchables) are socially isolated and discriminated by everyone. Tribal people (a.k.a. Adivasi) belong to ethnic minorities who also live in isolation and are economically backward because they seek to retain their own culture. But the most remarkable fact is that many Christians have also committed suicide. What has happened to them to make them lose hope in their almighty Savior?" ‚