In Orissa, India, Catholics Still Live in Fear

Edit: while small but highly influential groups of decadent, aging dissidents fight to destroy the remnants of the Catholic Patrimony in the West, Catholics in the East are being slaughtered by Hindu Militants.

St. Francis Xavier, pray for us.


Bhubaneshwar (AsiaNews) - Three years ago in the district of Kandhamal, Orissa, Christians were victims of unprecedented violence by Hindu radicals. The situation is far from being normal, as explained by Msgr. Raphael Cheenath, then archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar. And as you can see as much from the episode in a villiage in Betticola, from which Christians were forced to flee. The Betticola parish and the Catholic church were destroyed. The Christians, after being moved to five refugee camps received permission from the radical Hindu Sangh Parivar to return to Betticola, but as Hindus, that is converted. And the state administration, which should have rebuilt the church and parish, claims to have given the refugees everything they asked for.

"Religious freedom is still lacking in Kandhamal, the reign of terror, although limited, continues", says the Archbishop Emeritus of Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar, Orissa Rapahel Cheenath, three years after the bloody pogroms against Christians unjustly accused of the murder of a radical Hindu leader. On August 23, 2008 about 30 armed men entered the Ashram Jalespta, in Kandhamal, and shot dead swami Laxamanananda Saraswati and four of his followers. The funeral procession of Swami Laksamandanda took place in two days, over 250 miles, stopping at churches and Christian homes. The Hindu violence led to the destruction of 300 churches, the burning of more than 5600 homes and the flight of over 56 thousand Christians. A nun and two other women were raped and many molested. This despite the fact that the perpetrators of the crime were not Christians, but the Maoists. "(11/05/2011 24:51 Orissa pogroms: police clear Christians from the death of Hindu religious leader).

Raphael Cheenath is no longer the archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar, but the situation in his eyes is still very serious. "Religious freedom is still lacking in Kandhamal, the reign of terror continues, even if limited, refunds are greatly inadequate, or negligible, and our people do not have justice. There are numerous attempts to criminalize the victims and unfortunately there are fears of a return to violence. Our people have experienced the inability of the Administration to protect those under threat of destruction. Fear and intimidation continue, and justice is still a distant reality. "

Link to Asianews...

Orissa: another Christian killed in Kandhamal

by Santosh Digal
Angad Digal, a Catholic man from Mondasoro, was killed on 10 March. He had gone to a neighbouring village with two Hindu acquaintances. Police arrest one of the two suspects, but have not yet found Digal’s body. A priest slams the atmosphere of impunity created by law enforcement inertia.

Bhubaneswar (AsiaNews) – In Orissa, Christians continue to suffer from persecution. On 10 March, Angad Digal, a Catholic man from Mondasoro (Kandhamal), went missing. Local sources say he was killed in Tilakapanga, where he travelled in the company of a couple of Hindu acquaintances. For days, family, volunteers, and human rights activists in Cuttack diocese have been searching for his body, without success.

One of the men suspected in Digal’s murder has been arrested, Fr Laxmikant Pradhan, a local priest, said. “The authorities’ inertia is making matters worse for the family and Christians in Kandhamal,” he added.

People are in shock and afraid. “We must find Digal’s body and stop this culture of impunity,” the priest noted.

Related Articles:

For Christians, the Terror Returns.

Hindu Convert to Christianity Slain

The Elephants of Orissa

Video of Christians Being Beaten in Orissa

Orissa: For Christians, the Terror Returns

New wave of anti-Christian violence in India -- no trace of police reaction in the most recent incidents.

Bhubaneshwar, India (kath.net/Fidesdienst) A new wave of violence sparked a renewal of fear and terror in Christian Communities in India: as on the scenes observers of Fidesdienst report since last December in the last year in the district of Malkangiri in the State of Orissa, renewed attacks have been made against Christians by the local tribal people of the region. In the last month the attacks have become more serious: there have been a total of 10 assaults reported, at which a number of faithful were wounded, including even women and children. As the Pastor Vijay Purusu of the Evangelical "Betel Church" reports, Christians were attacked in nightly assaults: at least four Christian families have fled their homes in fear.



The East Indian State Orissa and in particular the district of Khandamal were already in the years of 2007-2008 showplace for a long series of attacks and aggression against Christians, where at least 6.600 homes of Christians were destroyed and over 56.000 people lost their homes. According to reports by local observers from these communities there are feared to be new episodes coming, it is believed that the Hindu formed Militias of the "Rashtiriya Swayamsevak Sangh" (RSS) are concealed behind these attacks. This will mean the spread of renewed fear and terror that will lead many Christians will leave the region, should the local authorities not take action.

The Christians reported the episodes in the recent weeks to the police, but have received in any case no official response. In the mean time, the faithful of have formed "peace committees", which will attempt to defuse the situation. The cause of these recent tensions are the conversions of some of the tribal people inhabiting the villages to Christianity, which the Hindus do not approve of. "The attacks also come because some Hindus do not value to know Christianity in the area of Social and Public Health," said an observer from Fidesdienst.

in the mean time Orissa is further in the middle of the public interest of India: the "All India Christian Council" AICC have delivered a memorandum to persuade the Indian Interior Minister P. Chidambaram and the Premier Minister of the State of Orrisa, Naveen Patnaik, to allow the Christian formation of a "National Investigation Agency", whose intent is to demonstrate the responsibility of the radical Hindu network "Sang Parivar" in connection with the anti-christian violence in Orissa in 2008. John Dayal directing member of the AICC, explains: "There is no doubt that the members of Sang Parivar participated in the violence."

A further more heavy episode of violence has been reported from the State of Rajasthan in Northewestern India: in Jaipur a Christian pastor from the people of Adivasi was forced to run naked through the main street of the city, while Hindu youth followed him on motorized bicycles and ridiculed him. Concerning the incident, about which the local media have not reported, occurred on the 1st of February and for over a month since it was reported to the police, who have still failed to apprehend those responsible.

Link to kath.net...

Related:

Hindu Convert to Christianity Slain.

Elephants of Orissa.

Video of the Brutal Beating of Christians by Hindus in Orissa.