Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bhubaneshwar (Agenzia Fides) – The toll of victims of anti-Christian violence in Orissa (Northeastern India) in recent days has reached 26. Hundreds of Christian families were attacked by Hindu fundamentalists who destroyed over 4,000 homes, churches, and properties, including defenseless people in the district of Kandhamal, which are majority tribal peoples.
According to local police authorities, the current situation seems to have returned to normality and the curfew declared the following day lasted 10 hours, uninterrupted. The police continue patrolling in public places, town squares, centers, streets, and churches in order to avoid the outbreak of further violence, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as “a shame for the nation.” The aggressions began following the murder of the Hindu religious leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23, for which local Maoist groups claimed responsibility. However, Hindu fundamentalist groups blamed it on the Christians, using it as an excuse to unleash a wave of violence. The Hindu leader, who was 85 years old, preached in this area and often criticized the conversions of tribe members to Christianity.
As a result of the violence, unleashed on August 23 and lasting 4 days, over 5,000 people have fled, living in refugee camps provided by local authorities. The Christians sought refuge in the forest, fleeing from their homes and villages in efforts to save their lives.
The Church in India has firmly denounced all form of violence and has presented a note to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soliciting full respect for the rights and liberties of Indian minority groups, as they should also enjoy the same constitutional rights awarded to citizens of other religions.
As a sign of solidarity with Christians in Orissa, on August 29, the Indian Bishops’ Conference declared the closing of all Catholic schools in the territory, calling on Catholics to make peaceful demonstrations, in silence and prayer, to show that religious freedom and human rights should be awarded to all Indian citizens regardless of their religious beliefs. Catholics in India will also hold a “Day for Fasting and Prayer” on September 7, in memory of the victims of violence and in promotion of peace and harmony in the nation.
Fides has learned from local Church sources that in the midst of extreme difficulties, the Christians in Orissa gave given a testimony of non-violence and peace, not retaliating attacks, but instead gathering in prayer. Among the testimonies sent to Agenzia Fides, Christians told of how they had been sheltered and saved thanks to Hindu citizens that, in the face of destruction by the fundamentalists, opened their homes to many Christians, condemning the attacks.
Defense campaigns and messages of peace and solidarity have been sent out by various international organizations.
The anti-Christian violence in Orissa is nothing new. This past July, the local community had already witnessed a climate of growing tensions and threats and launched a warning that was not sufficiently heard (see Fides 9/7/2008 and 21/7/2008). A terrible wave of violence arose in January 2008, with many victims and great destruction, as Fides was informed by Archbishop Raphael Cheenath (see Fides 30/1/2008).
The ideology behind the attacks is the “fundamentalism and pseudo-nationalism” (see Fides 31/1/2008 and 6/2/2008) that, as the Church in India has affirmed, feeds the virus of “Christianophobia” (see Fides 2/4/2008).
In the meantime, the Bishops’ Conference, which is carefully watching over all Indian territories, has also registered anti-Christian violence in the states of Madhya Pradesh (Central India) where 5 schools and a church were attacked. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 1/9/2008)
