Convert or die

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Let us call upon the intercessory prayers of Mother Teresa who served the poor and the homeless in India. May God protect all the Christians in India from oppression and possible death.
 
Riley259 said:
Very sad and troubling thing indeed.
Click to expand...
Dear Riley
It is much more so because even the media is pushing a one sided issue, as Christians are a small peace loving minority in India, they are denied legal redress and fair media coverage and for the first time after independence in 1947 exposed to the whole wrath of Hindu fanaticism, this movement has become one of organised violence with funding received from the Indian diaspora settled in various European countries and even in the States.
The moderator of my web group has put these images out if you are interested, kindly do persevere in prayer.:blessyou:
“It has been very difficult to get any first hand information from Orissa because of the restrictions on entry placed there. But there have been some photos circulating by email which I have gathered and uploaded on the KC Gallery ( konkanicatholics.fotopic.net/c1446886.html ) so that all of you can have a look at what is going on.”
Believe me there is no coverage in the media as the attacked Christian were of a poorer caste who converted to Christianity (there are a unusually high proportion of baptists and pentecostals though the photos are mainly concentrated on the Catholic institutions)
God bless
Derrick
 
FACT FILE - THE ORISSA BURNING STORY

January 24, 2008

BHUBANESWAR, Orissa (SAR NEWS) – Christmas, a festival of joy and peace, turned tragic for the people of Kandhamal district in Orissa last year. Rioters torched hundreds of churches, institutions and houses. Thousands of people are still stranded in forests and on streets. Here is a first-hand account of the violence and aftermath – that has left the minority communities, especially the Christians in fear and anxiety – submitted by Divine Word Archbishop Raphael Cheenath of Cuttack-Bhubaneshwa r.

THE BACKGROUND OF THE INCIDENT:

The trouble began December 24 at Bamunigam village close to the police station under Daringibadi Block of Kandhamal. Around 8 a.m., a group of fundamentalists forcefully removed Christmas decorations put up by Ambedkar Baniko Sangho comprising local Christian entrepreneurs as a preparation for Christmas, with permission from the administration.

This was followed by exchanges of words between two groups, as the fanatical mob insisted that the people stop Christmas celebrations. Within minutes a group of people pounced on the members of Ambedkar Baniko Sangho with sticks, swords, guns and other weapons.

During midnight Mass December 24 thugs hurled explosives on the archbishop’s house in Bhubaneswar. It exploded but no damage was done. People dispersed sensing trouble when they saw the armed gang charging towards them. The miscreants started shooting at people critically injuring two. They ransacked about fifteen shops belonging to Christians and looted their houses. They also beat up about seven members of Ambedkar Baniko Sangho.

On the second day on Christmas, December 25, the crowd came back and destroyed the churches in Bamunigam area before entering the Christian villages and burning their houses and properties. They also shouted slogans against the Christians and asked them to leave the place. Churches and Christians were under mortal threat, but unfortunately there was no police security.

ATTACK ON BAMUNIGAM AND BALLIGUDA PARISHES:

On December 24, at around 2 p.m., a larger crowd comprising about 500 people marched into Balliguda town parish damaging and ransacking the church buildings. By 10 p.m. they attacked and burnt the church, the presbytery, convent, computer room, dispensary, and 2 student hostels.

The armed mob then moved into the town and burnt down the church belonging to the Baptist Christians. They also attacked another church belonging to the Pentecostal Christians.

On December 25, they were moving around menacingly threatening the priests and Christians so that they were not even able to file the first information report with the police. The situation continued to be desperate and there was great fear and anxiety among Christians.

A convent in Phulbani was attacked on the same day and the mob ransacked the convent by breaking the doors, and windowpanes. They also damaged a new school bus. Immediately the priests and nuns in Pobingia parish were advised to move out to a safer place December 25.

At 12 noon a group of Bajrangdal activists attacked the church of Pobingia and destroyed the church and priest’s residence. All this happened with impunity – in the presence of police. More than half of 24 parishes in Kandhamal could not celebrate Christmas Mass due to the fear of attacks. Two constables asked the priests of Phulbani parish not to have any celebration, fearing more trouble.
 
INSTITUTIONS ATTACKED AND DESTROYED:

Parish church (5); village churches (48); convents (6); presbytery (3); hostels (6); other institutions (3); minor seminary (Balliguda); vocational training centre (Balliguda); Sarshnanda, Leprosy Centre (Pobingia).

A good number of village churches have also been destroyed of which we do not have definite information. In Barakhama parish, 400 houses are gutted, five people were killed, property looted, one tractor, one jeep and two motorcycles were burnt. The formation house of Capuchin congregation was totally vandalised.

All these happened during the first three days of vandalism and arson. We have received information from various other churches and institutions that the attackers are still active and the destruction of property still continues.

On the other hand, innocent Christians are apprehended and Christian officials are victimised in order to appease the fundamentalists.

PREPLANNED ATTACK AND DESTRUCTION:

Orissa has a history of frequent communal flare-ups. However, this time it was very intensive, violent and pre-planned from all points of view.
  1. The speed with which the attacks were carried out – this would not have been possible unless planned. Within half an hour, over two hundred people in Bamunigam parish premises and 400 to 500 people in Balliguda were attacked simultaneously, where the maximum destruction took place.
  2. They appeared on the scene of destruction with instruments capable of causing massive destruction in a short time. For instance, they carried acid with them in order to burn things. They had guns, iron-cutting swords (machine) to cut the grills of doors and windows.
  3. The attackers had enough foodstuff with them to prepare their meals in the area during attack. One must conclude that they had pre-planned this attack.
    These incidents show that without planning such unprecedented destruction is not possible.
NATURE OF THEIR OPERATION:
I had told my priests and spiritual leaders that they should save themselves and not to worry about the property. So, I advised them to escape to anywhere they possibly can as soon as they hear about an impending attack. Because of this the institutions were kept ‘open’ to the rioters for total destruction.

We could not rely on police force because they were very few or they were indifferent for the reasons I do not know.

Destruction took place even in the presence of police force (20 of them) in Bamunigam who were mute spectators.

The fundamentalists broke open the main door, smashed window glasses, twisted grills and gathered all that they could and piled up in the middle of the building. They poured kerosene/petrol/ acid on the heap and made a bonfire. The end of the show! Then they moved to another place.

WHO WERE THE ATTACKERS?

In general the armed mob of fundamentalists belonged to what is called the ‘Sangh Parivar’, professing an extremist and intolerant Hindutva ideology of hate and violence. Nevertheless, the people who perpetrated the crimes were, as a rule, from other villages to avoid recognition.

Hence, after committing the crimes, they disappeared from the scenes. So often it is difficult to identify individuals involved in acts of arson and attempted murders.
 
HOW DID THE GOVERNMENT HANDLE THE PROBLEM?

In general, the government promised us all the support and protection. The ‘Kui Samaj’ had declared two-day bandh on 25th and 26th of December in order to protest against giving Scheduled Caste status to SC Christians. Since December 25 is Christmas, we expected some trouble. We approached the District Magistrate and Superintendent of police about the impending troubles and they promised us all their support. To make the long story short the following is our experience.
  1. The district administration had not taken any precautionary measures to prevent any troubles; consequently they were not able to control or prevent the destruction.
  2. When the troubles began on December 25 around 8 a.m. I approached the Director General of Police who promised us all support and protection. However, we are utterly disappointed because only after 26 hours after the first attack the force reached the places of attack in Bamunigam. Distance from Bhubaneswar to the area of trouble is 300 kilometres. From the District Headquarters, Phulbani (Kandhamal) to the troubled area is over 85 kilometres.
  3. Either the deployment of the Force was insufficient or the Force did not have the power to take necessary action on the spot.
  4. The fundamentalists moved freely in trucks and other vehicles shouting slogans “Jai Shri Ram”, “Jai Bajrang Dal”, etc. Destruction went on unabated.
  5. So far no one has been apprehended even though most of the attacks took place in front of the police.
  6. Most of the priests, pastors and religious nuns in Kandhamal have taken shelter in the forest. In fact, the fundamentalists are in search of finding their hideouts.
  7. The Christians who are already attacked and those who are in great fear of being attacked fear with sufficient reasons that they are left to the mercy of the fundamentalists.
    In general, I would say that the administration miserably failed to take necessary actions to prevent such unprecedented destruction of establishments to Christian community in Kandhamal.
A delegation met the Hon’ble Chief Minister and made the following demands:
  1. That a CBI inquiry be ordered for proper and impartial investigation for justice.
  2. Central paramilitary forces are deployed in adequate strength to all the affected and sensitive places to prevent any further recurrences, as the local police have not been able to control the situation.
  3. Impartial and proper assessment of the property damage caused to various Churches, Christian institutions and other establishments may be made and adequate compensation be provided as early as possible to restore confidence of the people in the administration.
  4. Proper compensation is given to the deceased family and injured people.
  5. The culprits responsible for creating communal disharmony and caused damages to people and properties should be severely dealt with and the Govt. officials be given exemplary punishments for their gross negligence, inaction, apathy amounting to connivance with the perpetrators.
  6. A fact-finding committee consisting of various Church leaders and representatives proposed to visit various affected sites and personnel of Kandhamal District and other affected places of the state to take stock of the situation and to console the victims and families. Therefore, we request to provide police protection to the team during their visit.
A CALL FOR SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT:

Thousands of innocent victims rendered homeless and without clothes and food have taken refuge in the forests and in temporary relief camps, after their houses were torched. Those who wish to extend their help in rebuilding their lives may contact:

Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Raphael Cheenath, SVD,
Archbishop’s House, Satya Nagar,
Bhubaneswar –751007, Orissa-India.
Email: crcdc@satyam.net.in

Or

Fr. Richard Vaz, SVD,
Divine Word Missionaries,
1835 Waukegan Road,
P.O. Box 6099/Techny, IL 60082-6099 USA.
Email: richievaz@svdmissions.org
 
This reminded me of the New Hampshire state motto “Live Free or Die” that is rooted in the Revolutionary War:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Free_or_Die

General John Stark on July 31, 1809. New Hampshire’s most famous soldier of the American Revolutionary War, “Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.”

Patrick Henry’s famed March 23, 1775 speech to the House of Burgesses (the legislative body of the Virginia colony), which contained the following phrase:

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
 
This news article talks about how Christians are being told they must convert to Hinduism, leave the area, or be killed.
“I am forced to convert to Hinduism whether I like or dislike; I cannot say further and my life is in danger,” Promond Digal, 32, from the violence-hit Kandhamal district, told GCIC.
Click to expand...
And it is really gross when you convert, you have to drink cow poop, what kind of religion makes people drink cow poop??

We know this sort of stuff happens all the time, yet Catholics are given a hard time about being strict about converting infidels a long time ago.

We should pray each day for people in pagan countries that force Christians to convert to demonic religions.
 
Please if you wish to show solidarity with the suffering members of the body of Christ please try to sign this petition something we are trying to do to get the attention of the politicians in India. Kindly note that since Christians are just 2.4% of the population of India they are not considered significant enough to benefit political parties and consequently now exposed to the risk of genocide. As Thomas
Paine eloquently puts it if we do not hang together, we shall surely hang seperately.

The mayor of Mumbai India put this Board out after the 91 riots it is important for us
to read it:

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller

From: SJPRASHANT, Ahmedabad
Subject: PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION ONLINE RE. CONTINUING ATTACKS ON CHRISTIAN MINORITIES IN ORISSA, INDIA
Date: Saturday, 2 February, 2008, 5:10 PM

Dear Friends,

I have just read and signed the online petition:

“Protection of the Rights of the Christian Minorities in Orissa” hosted on the web by PetitionOnline. com, the free online petition service, at:

PetitionOnline.com/orissa/

I agree with what this petition says and I am sure you will agree, too.

I request you to go through this Petition and also sign it. Thanks !

Warm wishes,
Fr. Cedric Prakash sj

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PRASHANT - A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace

Street Address : Hill Nagar, Near Kamdhenu Hall, Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad - 380052, Gujarat, India
Postal Address : P B 4050, Navrangpura PO, Ahmedabad - 380 009, Gujarat, India

Phone : 91 79 27455913, 66522333
Fax : 91 79 27489018
Email: sjprashant@ gmail.com
www.humanrightsindia**. in
 
Please if you wish to show solidarity with the suffering members of the body of Christ please try to sign this petition something we are trying to do to get the attention of the politicians in India. Kindly note that since Christians are just 2.4% of the population of India they are not considered significant enough to benefit political parties and consequently now exposed to the risk of genocide. As Thomas Paine eloquently puts it if we do not hang together, we shall surely hang seperately.

The mayor of Mumbai India put this Board out after the 91 riots it is important for us to read it:

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller

From: SJPRASHANT, Ahmedabad
Subject: PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION ONLINE RE. CONTINUING ATTACKS ON CHRISTIAN MINORITIES IN ORISSA, INDIA
Date: Saturday, 2 February, 2008, 5:10 PM

Dear Friends,

I have just read and signed the online petition:

“Protection of the Rights of the Christian Minorities in Orissa” hosted on the web by PetitionOnline. com, the free online petition service, at:

PetitionOnline.com/orissa/

I agree with what this petition says and I am sure you will agree, too.

I request you to go through this Petition and also sign it. Thanks !

Warm wishes,
Fr. Cedric Prakash sj

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PRASHANT - A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace

Street Address : Hill Nagar, Near Kamdhenu Hall, Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad - 380052, Gujarat, India
Postal Address : P B 4050, Navrangpura PO, Ahmedabad - 380 009, Gujarat, India

Phone : 91 79 27455913, 66522333
Fax : 91 79 27489018
Email: sjprashant@ gmail.com
www.humanrightsindia**. in
 
Encouraging message from Cardinal Toppo (India)
“The Church will rise stronger from the ashes of Orissa
by Card. Telesphore Toppo
We must keep in mind at this time the words of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, who enlightens us with his encyclical Spe Salvi. We need to interpret these events from a Christian point of view; it is the Holy Spirit who is guiding the Church. In the light of this persecution which the Christians have to go through, in the refugee camps, the importance of hope is decisive in enabling the spirit of man to be able to face the present with all its problems and difficulties.”
asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=11426&size=A
Thanks
Derrick
 
**Sisters of Mother Teresa are among the refugees in the forests of Orissa by Nirmala Carvalho
The regional superior of the Missionaries of Charity recounts her visit to the district of Kandhamal, struck by anti-Christian violence last Christmas, a scene of unimaginable destruction. Also with her was Sister Nirmala Joshi, who has written a letter calling for reconciliation. **
asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=11443&size=A
 
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