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Christians in Orissa have been under systematic attack for several years. The latest outbreak of violence in the tribal Kandhamal district has been raging for a month and has claimed more than 25 lives despite the presence of central police forces in the area
Attacks against Christians, their homes and churches in Orissa’s Kandhamal district, that began on August 23, 2008, have claimed the lives of around 30 people, mainly Christians. The violence has spread to the state of Karnataka where, in the most recent incident on September 22, 2008, two churches were desecrated in Bangalore and another attacked in Kodagu district. Two churches were also vandalised in neighbouring Kerala, in Nedumbassery, close to Kochi. In Orissa, houses belonging to Christians continue to be burnt down and thousands of Christians have been rendered homeless despite the presence of the police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and the Rapid Action Force. Prohibitory orders are still in force in the district, and a night curfew has been imposed in most towns. None of this seems to have deterred the mobs that have been on a rampage since a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader was shot dead by unknown persons on August 23. The VHP leader was known for his anti-Christian stand. On September 24, 2008, in a fresh round of violence, mobs burnt down 100 houses as well as a church and a prayer house in villages under Daringbadi block. They also blocked several roads with wooden logs to protest the killing of a person in police firing in Raikia town. The police had fired to disperse a mob demanding the release of one of the rioters. Hundreds of riot-affected Christian families are still living in relief camps, scared of attacks by Hindu fundamentalists who blame Christians for the shooting of the VHP leader. Also behind the violence is the belief of fundamentalist Hindu organisations that the Church converts people by force. Under the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967, the ‘converter’ and ‘convertee’ must inform the district administration of any conversion, but hardly any applications have been received leading the VHP to maintain that the Act has been grossly flouted. According to some reports, Christians who are returning to their homes from the relief camps are being forced to ‘re-convert’ to Hinduism. At least two Christian men who returned to their villages have been killed in the past few days. Attacks on Christians have occurred frequently in Orissa within the past few years (most notoriously in 1999 when right-wing Hindu activists burnt alive Australian Protestant missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons in their car at Baripada). The state government has been criticised for not taking a stronger stand against it, most recently by the National Commission for Minorities (NCM). A report by the NCM says recommendations made by it after violent incidents in December 2007 have not been implemented. The NCM’s recommendations included constitution of a state minority commission, rebuilding of damaged churches, holding of a peace march by the political leadership and a time-bound investigation that ensured the culprits would be punished. Source: Kalinga Times, September 24, 2008
The Indian Express, September 25, 2008
The Hindu, September 25, 2008
Sify.com, September 3, 2008
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