Persecution in Orissa

Posted by: christianalert on: September 30, 2008

• In: Persecution of Christians
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“For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (Rom.8:36)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

You might be hearing, for the last one month, a lot from the media about the Persecutions of Christians in Orissa.  We wish to add a few words to it, as we could visit some of those places just two days back.

Orissa, one of the backward States in India , has become the arena for the   severest persecution of Christians in the recent decades. Persecutions of Christians in Orissa has a long history.  It has happened many times in the past, in different measures.  But, since 2008 August 23 night, the Christians in Orissa are suffering all sort of atrocities.  The blame for the murder of one of the Hindu extremist leaders was laid upon Christians and a fierce persecution started. (In fact, he was killed by the Mavoists on August 23 night). Remember what Roman Emperor Nero did.  He burned Rome and Christians became the scapegoats…!

When the angry mob, instigated and lead by the Hindu extremist groups, attacked Christian houses and villages, State government was very slow to act. They burned houses, looted things, demolished church buildings, demanded all Christians to leave the land, chased people from their houses, molested women, and many people were cruelly killed.  Nobody came forward to restrain them from those heinous acts….!

Thousands of Christians fled to the forests, leaving everything behind, with women and little children, to save their lives.   In spite of the heavy rain and the dangers in the forests they stayed there, mostly eating leaves or whatever available in the forests.

“….they were stoned…. were slain with the sword….. they wandered… being destitute, afflicted, tormented… they wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.”  (Heb. 11:37,38)

Later, many of them managed to escape to the cities and even to the neighbouring States like Andhra Pradesh.   Almost 50000 Christians are affected by the present violence. Now most of them are living in the relief camps of the government, without proper living conditions.

We could spend two days in Orissa (September22,23), and these are some of the observations:

• Everywhere in Orissa, right from the Capital City , Bhuvaneswar, to the remotest villages in  Gajapati district, Christians are facing hostility.
• Ongoing attacks show that the situation is still not under government control.
• The many thousands of Christians living in Relief Camps are still suffering great misery. Even in the relief camp in the State Capital, Bhuvaneswar, we could find more than 700 men and women along with hundreds of little ones living in two halls and verandas, totally packed,  having nothing but mats to sleep.  They are without any healthy living conditions.  Epidemics are another great threatening.
• Most of the women and children are yet to recover from the shock.  We could see their expressions of great terror and distress.
• We could also visit a relief camp in Gajapati district.  The living condition in that camp is still worse.  Nearly 600 men and women and their young ones are living in two small buildings, totally conjested.  Children lost their schooling,…Adults lost all their belongings….  No sufficient  food or clothings.  They described  the atrocities they suffered and requested us to visit their deserted villages to see the real pictures.
• We could visit 3 villages, which were destroyed by the Hindu activists. (Nearly 15 villages were destroyed in that area alone). The scenes were shocking.  Houses were burned, church buildings were demolished, School books of the children were seen scattered, and the silence of a burial ground everywhere. And those villages are still under the control of the attackers.  A few who went back to their villages were attacked and chased.  In one ruined village, a man with a long knife saw us and hurried away to gather their men. But we could manage to leave that remote village before their arrival.
• We could also know about the fearful situation in Kandhamal district, where most of the attacks were taken place.  We did not visit that place due to the goverment prohibitions.Government is compelling those who are in the relief camps to go back to their villages.  But re-conversion to Hinduism is a must to return and stay their.  Hindhu extremists could already re-convert many hundreds of people, forcefully.
• We could meet some of the Pastors and Christian leaders of Orissa.  They need our special prayers to stand firm in the Lord and to keep the flock in faith and hope.
• The suffering Christians in Orissa direly need the Prayer Support and Financial Support of all the Christians around the world.  Some of the Christian agencies are already involved in the relief work.  But the actual need is too great.  And it is our Christian duty to help them in all possible ways.
• Orissa is facing another calamity now. Almost half of the State is affected by a great flood and millions of people are suffering.  Pray, that the whole people of Orissa look unto the living God.

Pray for the peace of Orissa.  God will surely see the tears and groaning of His children. And He will not forget His own….!

God bless you.