Source:  www.assistnews.net

Date:  2007-12-30

HYDERABAD, INDIA (ANS) -- The district of Kandhamal in the eastern state of Orissa continues to see massive violence against Christians. The All India Christian Council (AICC) has collected reports of 65 churches burned down, 600 Christian homes destroyed, hundreds of Christians forced to flee into forests to save their lives, and thousands homeless. Despite promises by state and central government leaders during meetings with AICC leaders, the violence which began on Christmas Eve is continuing.

Roads continue to be blocked by Hindutva fundamentalists and police curfews prevent fact finding teams from traveling. Confirmed reports from one village give a sense of the carnage which is likely being under-reported. In Barkhama, a village near Baliguda in Kandhamal district, three pastors emerged after hiding in the jungle for five days and reported:

* over 100 Christian homes destroyed
* two Christians killed and burnt in front of the local church and another murdered in a market on Christmas Eve
* at least fifteen Christians missing and suspected to be killed and buried in the nearby forest

An AICC fact finding team headed by John Dayal, AICC Secretary-General and Member of the National Integration Council, has been unable to reach the hardest hit areas due to police curfews. On Dec. 29, 2007, Inspector General of Police Pradeep Kapur forced the team to leave the affected areas due to safety concerns. Efforts by a Christian delegation to visit Baminigaon, called the epicentre of the trouble, were unsuccessful as well.

“We continue to plead with leaders of the world’s largest democracy to uphold the rule of law and protect Christians in rural Orissa. The government’s actions seem to be too little, too late. We are distressed that radical Hindutva groups justify their violent attacks on innocent victims – especially children – by saying they are protesting ‘forced or fraudulent conversions’. Similar claims over the past decade have always been proven false. But the bottom line is that religious differences are never an excuse for violence,” said Dr. Joseph D’souza, AICC President.

“We are deeply worried by media reports that police and other local authorities in Orissa stood by and watched attacks on Christians. Some media commentators have said the violence is a combination of politics, caste-based discrimination, and religious vendettas. Whatever the motivation, we must not forget that innocent people – mostly Dalits and tribals – are suffering right now,” said Sam Paul, AICC Secretary, Public Affairs.

Upcoming events:
* a Christian delegation including AICC leaders will meet Justice Shri S. Rajendra Babu, Chairman of India’s National Human Rights Commission on Dec. 31, 2007 at 12:30pm
* a major protest rally to be held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on January 2, 2008
* another rally is planned for in Bhubaneswar, Orissa to be organized by AICC and the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations; details to be announced.

Past events:
* On Dec. 30, 2007, candle-light vigils and protest marches were held by Christians in many cities including Delhi and Hyderabad.
* On Dec. 30, 2007 the AICC Jharkhand chapter delivered a memo to the state Chief Minister and Governor to request action.
* On Dec. 29, 2007 the Governor of Chennai received a memorandum from the AICC Tamil Nadu chapter demanding action.
* On Dec. 29, 2007 a delegation including AICC leaders met the Vice President of India, Mohammad Hamid Ansari, and appealed for action by the Central Government.
* On Dec. 27, 2007, large rallies of Christians and non-Christian civil society leaders were held in numerous cities across India including about 1,000 people in New Delhi.
* On Dec. 27, 2007, a delegation including AICC leaders met the chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, Mohamed Shafi Qureshi.
* On Dec. 27, 2007, a delegation including AICC leaders met the Minister of Home Affairs, Shivraj V. Patil.
* On Dec. 27, 2007, an AICC-led delegation met the Orissa Chief Minister, Neevan Patnaik.

The violence allegedly began when Christians in a village 150 kms from Phulbani, the headquarters of Kandhamal district, began to celebrate Christmas Eve. Local Hindu fundamentalists opposed the event and a fight ensued. Also, a Hindutva leader, Swami Saraswati, was attacked by unknown assailants -- allegedly Christians -- near Daringbadi while he was travelling. The next day the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called for a strike and its members began attacking Christians across the state.

The All India Christian Council (www.AICCindia.org), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The AICC is a coalition of thousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay leaders.