Identities, Law, Right watch, Violence/Conflict

The Continuing Violence Against Christians in Orissa

3 Comments

From John Dayal and Madhu Chandra of the All India Christian Council, an update on the continuing violence against Christians in Orissa.

ORISSA ANTI CHRISTIAN VIOLENCE

UPDATE 25th August 2008

Complined by

Dr. John Dayal & Madhu Chandra

Time 23.10 hrs, Aug 25, 2008

1. NUN REPORTED BURNT ALIVE: A Christian woman, possibly a nun, was reported burnt alive on 25th August 2008 by a group of Vishwa Hindu Parishad mob which stormed the orphanage she ran in the district of Bargarh (Orissa). Police Superintendent Ashok Biswall has told this to news reporters. A priest who was at the orphanage was also badly hurt and is now being treated in hospital for multiple burns.

2. NUN RAPED: A young Catholic Nun of the Cuttack Bhubaneswar diocese working Jan Vikas Kendra, the Social Service Centre at Nuagaon in Kandhamal was reportedly gang raped on 24th August 2008 by groups of Hindutva extremists before the building itself was destroyed.

3. SENIOR PRIEST AND NUN INJURED: Fr Thomas, director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Kanjimendi, less than a kilometer away from the Social Service Centre, and another Nun were injured when the centre was attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveled state as the armed mob bayed for their blood. The Pastoral centre was then set afire.

4. BALLIGUDA CHURCH BUILDINGS DESTROYED AGAIN: On 24th August 2008 evening lynch mobs at the block headquarters of Balliguda, in the very heart of Kandhamal district, which had seen much violence between 24th and 26th December 2007, attacked and destroyed a presbytery, convent and hostel damaging the properties.

5. The mobs in Balliguda caught hold of two boys of the Catholic hostel and tonsured their heads.

6. PHULBANI CHURCH DAMAGED: On 25th august 2008 morning followers of the late Lakshmanananda Saraswati damaged the Catholic Church in Phulbani, the district headquarter town.

7. MOTHER TERESA BROTHERS ASHRAM ATTACKED: mobs attacked the Mother Teresa Brothers’ residence and hospital in Srasanada, destroyed once before and rebuilt two months ago, and beat up the patients. Fundamentalists have targeted Priests, religious and also the Faithful in Pobingia also.

8. BHUBANESWAR BISHOP’S HOUSE ATTACKED: On the morning of 25th August 2008, violent mobs made several attempts to enter the compounds of Catholic Church and Archbishop’s house in the heart of the Capital of the State of Orissa.

They could not enter because of the police presence. They threw stones at the guesthouse of Archbishop’s House, damaging windows.

9. DUBURI PARISH; Another group of fundamentalists entered presbytery in Duburi parish, managed by the SVDs and destroyed and damaged property. Two priests of the parish are missing.

10. Mr. Jamaj Pariccha, Director of Gramya Pragati, is attacked and his property, vehicle etc. damaged, burnt and looted.

11. A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila in Bhubaneswar is also damaged.

12. Christian institutions like St. Arnold’s School (Kalinga Bihar), AND NISWASS report some damage.

13. BOUDH DISTRICT [Adjoining Kandhamal]: Fundamentalists enter the Catholic parish church and destroy property. People are fleeing to safer places. But nothing seems safe.

14. Muniguda Catholic Fathers and Nuns’ residence have been damaged.

15. Sambalpur HM Sister’s residence (Ainthapalli) has suffered damage.

16. Padanpur: One priest is attacked and admitted to a hospital. Hostel boys and the in charge have moved away from the place.

17. Madhupur Catholic Church currently under attack.

18. SMALL CHURCHES: Attempted violence on small churches in various districts, including Padampur, Sambalpur near GM College, Talsera, Dangsoroda, Narayanipatara, Muniguda, Tummiibandh, Tangrapada, Phulbani, Balliguda, Kalingia, Chakapad, Srasanranda.

19. VILLAGE CHRISTIAN HOUSES ATTACKED: Houses attacked on forest hamlets of Balliguda, Kanjamandi Nuaguam (K.Nuaguam), Tiangia (G.Udayagiri), Padangiri, Tikabali.

20. KALAHANDI DISTRICT: houses burnt even though the district is more than 300 kilometers from the place where Swami Lakshmanananda was killed.

21. Pastor Sikandar Singh of the Pentecostal Mission beaten up and his house burnt in Bhawanipatna.

22. Kharihar: 3 Christian shops were looted and burnt. Pastor Alok Das and Pastor I M Senapati beaten up.

23. Aampani: Pastor David Diamond Pahar, Pastor Pravin Ship, Pastor Pradhan and Pastor Barik beaten up and chased away with their families.

24. Naktikani: Mob surrounds village to attack Christians. The government has sent forces, it is reported.

25. Raikia village evacuted, whole village fled to forest for survival

26. Rev. Abhiram Singh, Orissa leader of Good Shepherd Community Church, fled to forest for survival of his life. Wife and two kids are in another town with fear and trembling.

27. Good Shepherd School at Bhugorai, in Balasore district, threatened by VHP members.

3 thoughts on “The Continuing Violence Against Christians in Orissa”

  1. This is the kind of terrorism that should be prevented at any cost. If not it can burn this whole country on Hindu fanatical lines and is a threat to the very social fabric of this country in whatever form. The Hindu organisations behind this terror attack should be banned and culprits should be punished.

    Like

    Reply

  2. Hindu Community would be the last community to promote violence. we dont like it. History is testimony that our great Hindu culture has withstood the tyranny of every invading army – from Moghuls, Portuguese, Dutch, and British. the Hindu culture has never sought violence as a means to propogate its views to anybody. on the contrary, Christianity is filled with examples as to how they take their religion around the world and force it on people –
    1.English and Europeans’ discovery of the new world (which would later come to be known as America) and the systematic killing of the Native Red Indians. today there are hardly any red indians left in the US and whoever are left have converted to christianity to escape the wrath of white people.
    2. Spaniards in South America. They wiped out thousands of years old Inca and Maya civilization.
    3. Africa.
    4. Australia. the ‘natives’ have almost disappeared.
    and finally British and Portuguese land on Indian coasts in the garb of traders. they have tried every thing possible to get rid of Hinduism in the last 400 years but could not succeed.

    So, who is actually violent? please for god sake don’t try to bad mouth the beautiful Indian culture in western press.
    Many warriors have come to the great Indian frontier to conquer it but they have all went back defeated by our nature of being peaceful and accommodating.

    Like

    Reply

We look forward to your comments. Comments are subject to moderation as per our comments policy. They may take some time to appear.