Catholic Bishops Conference of India gets it right: Accused priests would face criminal investigation

Catholic priests accused of sexual predation in India will face the police like everyone else if a Conference of Catholic Bishops in India (CCBI) proposal is approved by the Pope:

India’s Roman Catholic bishops are planning to institute a policy of reporting all abuse allegations against priests to the police for criminal investigations, rather than just handling the cases internally, a church spokesman said.

The Times of India reports:

With the clergy facing horrible child sex abuse charges in several countries, Catholic bishops of India have drafted guidelines for the clergymen across the world. From spelling out a general behavioural code for bishops and other priests to defrocking as the ultimate punishment for such crime, the guidelines focus on "wholesome safety of children in and outside our institutions".

Bold face, ours.

Internecine religious conflict returns to post-Mumbai India

Mumbia terror created a temporary sense of common ground among the religiously divided citizenry of India.

It's over. Sumit Ganguly of Indiana University writes for Newsweek:

Religious violence and cultural parochialism are on the rise. Much of these forces seem to be fueled by the global economic downturn, which is bringing out the worst political tactics. In such a turbulent economic climate, scapegoating ethnic and religious minorities may well prove to be irresistible for those seeking to divert attention from serious questions of unemployment and growing economic disparities. Matters may become even worse as India's national election approaches in May of this year. In attempts to solidify their political bases, political parties, regardless of their ideological orientation, may well start kowtowing to religious and cultural zealots. Several recent developments underscore the dangers that they pose for the well-being of India's plural polity and society.

Ganguly holds the Rabindranath Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations and is an Adjunct Senior Fellow of the Pacific Council on International Policy in Los Angeles.

Read the rest here.

Mumbai help/emergency information

Wikipedia up-to-the-moment Mumbia entry and an Annonated Map of the attacks.

There is also India Broadcasting Network live, streaming coverage (avoid this if you suffer from PTSD), or for less superheated up-to-date coverage, visit The Lede at the New York Times.

We will add to and update this list as we discover additional resources.

• A sortable list of the injured and deceased.
• Mumbai Help has several pages of lists of the dead and injured.
• Mumbai Contact Numbers has a collection of useful phone numbers.
• Mumbai Terror Helpline Blog: Terror In Bombay
• Mumbai Police contact numbers.
• A- blood required in MS Ramiyah Hospital. Call Jayashankar - 9880731803
• JJ Hospital Requires Blood here are some numbers you can get in touch with JJ Hospital no. - 022 23735555 JJ Hospital Blood bank no. - 022 23739400.
• St. George Hospital requires blood, numbers (022) 22620242.
• Live Scrolling of Latest Updates from Twitter on Mumbai attacks
• Search twitter for additional resources at #mumbai help using twitter search.
• Search twitter and identi.ca for additional resources at #mumbai help using tweetscan.
• Search twitter for help finding loved ones using #mumbaifamilies at twitter search.