From Zenit: India's Anti-Christian December Offensive

[Church_Militant]

India’s Anti-Christian December Offensive
Christmas Period Marred by Violence

By Father John Flynn, LC

ROME, JAN. 27, 2008 (Zenit.org).- India’s long-suffering Christians were dealt a strong blow in a series of attacks during the Christmas period. Hindu extremists attacked Christian celebrations in eastern India, sacking and burning a number of village churches, the Associated Press reported Dec. 26.

The persecution took place in the state of Orissa, which according to Associated Press, is an area with a history of violence against the Christian minority. It is the same state where, in 1999, an Australian missionary, Graham Staines and his two sons, were burned to death as they slept inside their vehicle after a Bible study class.

Following the Christmas attacks, which continued in subsequent days, nearly 700 Christians took shelter in government relief camps, the Times of India reported Dec. 29. The paper said that two police officers were suspended for failing to prevent violence against Christians on Christmas Eve. The state government also transferred a district administrator for failing to take action.

More details on the attacks came in a Dec. 31 press release by the episcopal conference of India. “There have been continuous onslaughts on Christians by the fundamentalists in the State since Christmas and yet adequate protection have not been provided to the minority community which continues to live in fear and anxiety,” the declaration lamented.

According to the statement, in the period of Dec. 22-27 one large parish church and some 50 village churches were destroyed. In addition, 6 convents, 3 presbyteries, 2 minor seminaries and 6 hostels were attacked and damaged by the extremists. In one village, Barakhama, no less than 400 houses were burned and five people were murdered.

The bishops’ conference of India called for an immediate investigation by the federal government, along with compensation for the injured and relatives of those killed.

Thousands affected

The rest of the story.

 

[Deusdonat]

it’s really sad. People don’t realize that Hinduism is just as radical and violent as anything Islam could dream up. The two are pretty much in competition as far as body-count this last century.

Of course, as a strong ally of the West, India has traditionally been given a free pass. And not all of India suffers from the religious violence. But it really doesn’t take much to spark off a massacre in India. And Christians often bear the brunt of it.

 

[mschrank]

I thought Hinduism was all peace and love, crazy sexual stuff and John Lennon?

 

[Deusdonat]

Only during Diwali or when the cameras are rolling.

 

[Derrickdcosta]

India’s Anti-Christian December Offensive
Christmas Period Marred by Violence

By Father John Flynn, LC

ROME, JAN. 27, 2008 (Zenit.org).- India’s long-suffering Christians were dealt a strong blow in a series of attacks during the Christmas period. Hindu extremists attacked Christian celebrations in eastern India, sacking and burning a number of village churches, the Associated Press reported Dec. 26.

The rest of the story.

some more posts on Orissa
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=3300561
Save a life sign the online petition to the Indian prime minister regarding the Orissa violence, the link to the petition
petitiononline.com/orissa/petition.html

 

[Derrickdcosta]

The letter from the Archbishop to the Prime Minister of India:
theindiancatholic.com/report.asp?nid=10292
" Dear Prime Minister, you can see from what I have described here in my letter

1. That the attack on Christmas during Christmas 2007 was pre-meditated and pre-planned.
2. The government had full knowledge about impending attack, but did not act.
3. Even I suspect the complicity of the government in this heinous crime.
4. The government has handled this matter very casually allowing the situation to go out of control.
   Therefore, in order to clarify matters and to bring the culprits to books, I request you, Hon’ble Prime Minister, to order an enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigations as soon as possible before evidence is obliterated."
   Please, Save a life sign the online petition to the Indian prime minister,
   petitiononline.com/orissa/petition.html

 

[SILVERNAME]

Nice petition!

Keep up the good work, and if you have any more pro-Catholic petitions, please keep on posting!!!

I think all Christians in India should start arming themselves, and exercise their God-given right to bear arms for defense.

 

[LDNCatholic]

I think all Christians in India should start arming themselves, and exercise their God-given right to bear arms for defense.

Such a tiny minority would be struck down immediately and without mercy. Besides I don’t think people in India have the right to bear arms.

 

[mlchance]

Such a tiny minority would be struck down immediately and without mercy. Besides I don’t think people in India have the right to bear arms.

Perhaps, but all people have a natural right of self-defense. No government can legitimately abrogate that right. This, however, doesn’t mean that exercising such a right en masse is prudent, especially when one is seriously outnumbered.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[Derrickdcosta]

Perhaps, but all people have a natural right of self-defense. No government can legitimately abrogate that right. This, however, doesn’t mean that exercising such a right en masse is prudent, especially when one is seriously outnumbered.

– Mark L. Chance.

I feel somewhat grateful that you wish the Christians in India to be protected and safe and may God bless you and protect your families both for your prayers and your kind hearts.
Now while I said silently a small prayer for you I wish to add to the points mentioned as I happen to be Indian.
Having said that violence is not to be respended with violence, legitimate means of protecting the Indian community are required. These must include a high media spotlight on Orissa with bias free reporting which is lacking.
The second international pressure on the Indian government to protect all sections of its population, plus the international community must declare these right wing organisations as terrorist and block funding, thirdly united and non-violent resistance of the entire Indian christian community.

Now the fact is that this is the single largest persecution of the Indian Christian community since independence of India and the Christian minority is now faced with a real prospect of genocide in Orissa (though it is only one state of the 25 of the Indian union acts of violence are now reported everywhere). This is because

• The state administration and police has a pronounced bias towards the Hindu majority
• The central government indifference stems from their insecurity on the Hindu votebank
• Political parties such as the BJP, BJD in Orissa will support the persecution as they would effectively divide society and carve a stable votebank
• The persecutors will certainly be unpunished having state government support
• The international media will not report on it as media was blocked from the affected area. Further, the attacked people happened to be very poor Christians.
• In case of the Indian media they will publish the untruths of the fundamentalist organizations responsible for the violence
• Finally, just as in case of the Gujarat riots (where 2000 muslims were killed) no one will be prosecuted by the legal system due to government pressure.

The above factors simply mean that the Constitution of the Indian republic will not ensure justice for all citizens and the lack of media reportage will effectively seal the fate of the Christian community in India, but first Orissa.

Eyewitness on Hindu terror: full text
Hindu nationalist “Patriot Brigades” assaulted hospital workers who were giving care to Indian lepers and other sufferers. Brother Oscar Tete of the Missionaries of Charity gives his field report on the Christmas Eve rampage.
speroforum.com/site/artic… 3A+full+text
save a life sign the online petition to the Indian prime minister,
petitiononline.com/orissa/petition.html

 

[Derrickdcosta]

Such a tiny minority would be struck down immediately and without mercy. Besides I don’t think people in India have the right to bear arms.

There is a right to bear arms, but it as you say quite difficult when you are a small community. The Christian community is I would love to reiterate the most peaceful and peaceloving community in India.

Now arms can be purchased if one has a license issued by the local police station which as I just said is absolutely biased.

God will defend us this is His ground and we are His people.

God bless you
Derrick

 

[Derrickdcosta]

Nice petition!

Keep up the good work, and if you have any more pro-Catholic petitions, please keep on posting!!!.

Thanks Silverline and a Big God bless.

It is you who are important and your prayers are much desired. I hope that you have signed the online petition.
(petitiononline.com/orissa/petition.html) These things do work and though we put our trust in God we must exhaust all human means first. I am praying each and every day as a private mail from the Archbishop informs me that the problem still continues. The Church has been prevented by the callous state government from providing aid to the victims and this above all more than the forced conversions and intimidation by the hindu fanatics (see forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=3300975 ) is an act of continuing violence.

But we know whom we have believed. And we know that God wills all to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. I am sure God will give the increase, and as the Archbishop puts it “God will rebuild”.
God bless you always
Derrick

 

[mmm1]

Thanks for letting us know about these atrocities. I am adding my prayers & signature. I’m sure many of our CAF friends will do the same. Is there anything else that can be done?

 

[LDNCatholic]

God will defend us this is His ground and we are His people.

Well said. God Bless!

 

[mlchance]

I feel somewhat grateful that you wish the Christians in India to be protected and safe and may God bless you and protect your families both for your prayers and your kind hearts.

Thank you, and likewise with the .

Religious persecution of anyone, regardless of religion, is wrong. Christians of India can, however, take comfort in the fact that they will be rewarded in Heaven for their suffering. It might seem like a small consolation, but the rewards of Heaven make any pain worth bearing.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[Derrickdcosta]

Thanks for letting us know about these atrocities. I am adding my prayers & signature. I’m sure many of our CAF friends will do the same. Is there anything else that can be done?

Thank you and bless you for caring. As of now, the best we can do is pray. In my case, in addition to praying daily not only specially for Orissa but for the persecuted everywhere, I did contact the Archbishop on his email (crcdc@satyam.net.in) the response itself came after a week. Now, the Archbishop Raphael Cheenath SVD is 73 years old and needs to respond through a secretary I guess. He did provide me with some bank details as I requested him, but since the Central Bank of India (RBI) prevents remittances from outside India (I live in Bahrain) to NGO’s and I have been unable to send anything so far. I am trying to do something though by contacting my father in Bombay and trying to help through the Archdiocese of Bombay. The Catholic Bishops conference lists the phone numbers of the diocese here ( number 41 of this list cbcisite.com/Diocesan%20Bishops.htm)

As you may be aware in Orissa, the Australian baptist pastor Graham Staines was burnt alive with his two sons (aged 7 and 10) in his vehicle by hindu fanatics some years ago. He had served lepers for 34 years and had not even converted a single person in that time. This is the hate that is encountered. But Christ’s love is stronger than their hate, and so many have become Christian that there is now nothing we can do to stop people converting to Christianity. Catholics as you know have a lengthy period of instruction, but not so with the baptists and pentecostals. All have however been attacked and churches burnt to the ground.

The most important thing you can do is to let people know about this horrific attack and get people to sign the petition.:console:

Thanks and God bless
Derrick

 

[mmm1]

Thanks for replying, Derrick. I’m glad to know that you are safe. For some reason I was thinking you were near the dangerous area. Please let us know if you find out other ways we can help. Be assured of my prayers. I had never heard of the pastor who was killed years ago, so I’m sure you are right about the importance of letting people know, & getting signatures. God bless you.

 

[Derrickdcosta]

Thanks for replying, Derrick. I’m glad to know that you are safe. For some reason I was thinking you were near the dangerous area. Please let us know if you find out other ways we can help. Be assured of my prayers. I had never heard of the pastor who was killed years ago, so I’m sure you are right about the importance of letting people know, & getting signatures. God bless you.

Thanks, you must know I am from Bombay (I am a goan by descent which was ruled by the Portuguese hence my name) and have seen first hand rioters attacking Muslims and burning their shops, one of which was below my own house and I have smelt tear gas and have felt the heat of the burning shop below my house. I remember the fear I felt but God owns the ground we stand on and not a hair of us can be harmed without his permission. This is not the only reason I want to help them, in Bombay catholics number nearly 500,000 and even though a minority run most of the schools, so it is quite difficult to harm us as the society cannot do without us, that is not to say our turn will not come. These Christians there are vulnerable and right now coping with the fear and trauma of the attack. It is quite cold in the Kandhamal hills and children as you can guess suffer the most.
Now I did call the Archbishops house yesterday and sent some money today to a priests personal account.
It will reach them after 4 days I guess.

I mentioned the ghastly and inhuman killing of Pastor Graham Staines, his widow is still in Orissa and lives with her daughter tending the same lepers her husband and two little sons lived and died for.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Staines

God bless you for your concern

 

[mmm1]

Thanks again, Derrick. I’m sure that God will bless your care & concern for your fellow Christians & countrymen. Thanks for the information & link. I followed the link & also found some information about the Bombay riots in the early 90’s. Are they the same riots that you suffered through? I’m embarrassed to say I never knew these tragic events occured. It is so good that you are informing people of what is going on. My family sponsors a little girl who lives outside Hyderabad. We love her. We “adopted” her through the Christian Foundation For Children & Aging. They are a wonderful organization. This is all very sad & frightening, but you are right to have such strong faith. God knows every hair on our heads & is with those children in Orissa. Please keep all of us here at CAF informed.

 

[Derrickdcosta]

Thanks again, Derrick. I’m sure that God will bless your care & concern for your fellow Christians & countrymen. Thanks for the information & link. I followed the link & also found some information about the Bombay riots in the early 90’s. Are they the same riots that you suffered through? I’m embarrassed to say I never knew these tragic events occured. It is so good that you are informing people of what is going on. My family sponsors a little girl who lives outside Hyderabad. We love her. We “adopted” her through the Christian Foundation For Children & Aging. They are a wonderful organization. This is all very sad & frightening, but you are right to have such strong faith. God knows every hair on our heads & is with those children in Orissa. Please keep all of us here at CAF informed.

You are correct it was the 1991-2 anti-muslim riots our parish church opened up its auditoriums for Muslims then, whose houses were burnt. My family also supports some orphans in a northern Indian state and they stiched a shawl for us this valentines day. My sister was going through a rough phase and was actually praying for a Valentine days gift not realising that God sometimes answers prayers most unexpectedly.
God bless again and I am sure God is working even in this situation to bring about some greater good. Just because we cannot see Him working does not mean he is not.