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Showing posts with label Persecution of Christians in India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Persecution of Christians in India. Show all posts

Friday, January 8, 2010

Elephants Attack in Orissa Exactly One Year After Persecution of Christians


'Christian Elephants' Kill Christian Persecutors, Destroy Homes


By Fr. Sunil De Silva

In July 2008 a severe persecution of Christians broke out in the Indian state of Orissa. A 22 year old nun was burnt to death when angry mobs burnt down an orphanage in Khuntpali village in Barhgarh district, another nun was gang raped in Kandhamal, mobs attacked churches, torched vehicles, houses of Christians destroyed, and Fr. Thomas Chellen, director of the pastoral center that was destroyed with a bomb, had a narrow escape after a Hindu mob nearly set him on fire. The end result saw more than 500 Christians murdered, and thousands of others injured and homeless after their houses were reduced to ashes. Recently a strange and dramatic event took place in Orissa, which has many people talking and wondering.

In recent months, herds of wild elephants have begun to storm villages that are home to some of the worst persecutors of Christians during the troubles. In one village, where in August a year ago the Christians had to run for their lives while their homes were being destroyed by rioters, a herd of elephants emerged from the surrounding jungle exactly one year later, in July 2009, at the same time of the day of the attack.

These elephants first attacked a rock crusher machine owned by a key leader of the persecution movement. They then went on to destroy his house and farms.

Hundreds of villagers have been forced to take shelter in camps in the Indian state of Orissa after repeated attacks by a herd of elephants.

Seven people have been killed and several others injured in attacks by a herd of 12-13 elephants over the past few weeks in Kandhamal district.

Over 2,500 people living in 45 villages have been affected by the attacks, district chief Krishen Kumar said.

It is, however, unclear why this herd of elephants migrated from the Lakheri sanctuary in a neighbouring district. He said the herd had travelled some 300km into Kandhamal, and even entered a town in the district. Wildlife officials were camping at the site of the attacks and trying to find out why the elephants had come out of their sanctuary. The villagers say elephants attack their areas in herds, causing heavy destruction.

Gaining momentum, they rampaged through other non-Christian homes, demolishing gardens and singling out the home of persecutors, leaving Christian homes untouched.

These strange attacks have spread, and according to a report, the elephants have already destroyed more than 700 houses in 30 villages, and killed five people. Nobody in this area has seen or even imagined the unique appearance of a herd of wild elephants such as this. The elephants are not ordinary elephants; they appear to be on a mission.

Typically, smaller elephants enter a village first, appearing to survey the community. They then rejoin the larger herd, and larger elephants soon follow and get the job done.

The ministry partner in India stated “We think that it might have something to do with the avenging the blood of martyrs. In fact the fear of God has fallen on the local people, who have labeled these elephants “Christian elephants.”

With little help coming from the administration, the villagers have taken to road blockades. "The elephants have destroyed crops and selected houses. But officials too express helplessness. "There is no permanent habitat of elephants in Sundargarh. They come from Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where their habitats have shrunk. But is not clear how and why these elephants reached Orissa.


Monday, October 13, 2008

Catholics, Protestants Mull Joint Orissa Aid

In the face of unrelenting persecution of Christians and with 6000 families in relief camps, Christian leaders are working together to provide needed relief to over 20,000 victims.


From UCANEWS.COM

Catholic, Protestant and Evangelical leaders came together in New Delhi to explore ways of getting relief and rehabilitation aid to victims of anti-Christian violence in Orissa.


About 75 leaders from various Churches and denominations met on Oct. 7 under the banner of National United Christian Forum, a joint body comprising the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) and Evangelical Fellowship of India.


NCCI president Bishop Taranath Sagar told UCA News the violence against Christians threatens the future of India as a secular nation. The Churches' took this new initiative, the Protestant prelate added, "not only to save Christians but also the secular fabric of our nation."


Bishop Sagar said their meeting discussed various ways to bring aid to an estimated 20,000 victims now living in government-run relief camps. Thousands of homeless people are also reported to be hiding in forests.


The sustained violence, now running into its seventh week, has killed at least 52 people. Hindu extremists have also burned down 4,500 houses, 100 churches and 20 convents, as well as presbyteries and other Church institutions. About 50,000 people have been rendered homeless.


The violence began on Aug. 24, the day after a Hindu leader who opposed conversions to Christianity and four of his associates were killed. Even though a Maoist group claimed responsibility for the killings, Hindu radical groups blamed the murder on Christians.


"We doubt Christians can live without fear in India," Bishop Sagar said, adding that the situation demands the government restrict Hindu fanatical organizations from "spreading poison of hatred."


The meeting discussed joint efforts to get help to the victims. It also discussed improving Christian media and networking, engaging civil society and the preparedness of the Churches to face such events in future.


Reverend Raj Bharat Patta, who heads NCCI's office for dalit and tribal people, told UCA News the meeting agreed to "deal with the situation in a united way." Dalit is a Sanskrit term used to refer to people of former untouchable classes.


Participants resolved to spread awareness of people's rights and join hands with other social organizations to denounce the atrocities against economically and socially poor people, he said.


In another meeting on Oct. 8, representatives of national Christian social-service organizations framed long-term and short-term relief and rehabilitation plans.

Bishop Sagar said the relief agencies including the Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief (EFICOR), Caritas India, Catholic Relief Services and Church's Auxiliary for Social Action, a Protestant agency, will work jointly to mobilize resources for relief and rehabilitation of the victims.


Caritas India director Father Varghese Mattamana, who attended the meeting, told UCA News the Christian volunteer organizations decided to jointly prepare plans for rehabilitation and relief work.


The Catholic priest said the Orissa state government has given permission for them to provide medical services in three relief camps. The priest added they are awaiting further permission to provide non-food materials such as blankets, mats, toiletries and utensils in the camps.


The Church groups, Father Mattamana said, plan to help some 6,000 families in the relief camps, providing each family with materials worth 2,000 rupees (US$41). Caritas' office in Bhubaneswar will be the hub for the relief effort. "The work will start as soon as we get permission," he added. The state capital city is some 1,745 kilometers southeast of New Delhi.

Father Mattamana said they also plan to provide "a kit" to each family that wants to leave the relief camps and go back to their village. The kit would have materials like kitchen utensils and cloth for immediate needs.


Sanjeev Bhanja, EFICOR's director of programs, told UCA News the six major Christian NGOs will work through the government. Their main area of operation will be Kandhamal district, some 350 kilometers west of Bhubaneswar, where the violence has been concentrated.


Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Latest Orissa Violence Destroyed 109 Homes, Convent, Three Churches


From Catholic World News

The renewed round of anti-Christian violence in the east Indian state of Orissa late last week claimed 109 homes, at least three churches, and a Missionaries of Charity convent, according to a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar and the regional superior of the Missionaries of Charity nuns. UCA News reported that ‘radical Hindu mobs armed with iron bars, machetes and swords roam villages in worst-affected Kandhamal district.’

Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Fears Mount for India's Christians as Violence Spreads

Christian Homes Burned in Orissa

Hindu-Christian tension mounted in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka, where 14 churches were attacked on Sunday. UCA News’s T. S. Thomas reports, ‘Police drove around 500 protesting Catholics inside a church and locked them in from outside … In another incident, police entered a church and beat Catholics praying for atonement for church desecration.’ On Monday evening, a church was attacked in the southwestern state of Kerala, the area of India evangelized by St. Thomas the Apostle. India, which has fewer than 20 million Catholics – the US has nearly 70 million – has more seminarians than any other nation in the world and more seminarians than all of North America and Central America combined. Within India, Kerala produces the greatest number of seminarians. In Orissa, where recent anti-Christian violence began, 25,000 Catholics are still hiding in the forest. At the request of the Italian foreign minister, the persecution of Christians in Orissa will be discussed at the Sept. 29-30 summit meeting between EU member nations and India.

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