VHP attacks churches in Orissa towns, curfew imposed
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ilugd
Beware of the innocent
ok, some sensitive materials here. I work in a church ok. Let us get some genuine stuff into this mix. I need to censor/alter some stuff like names to avoid legal issues.
I have got a lot more stuff, and let me assure you, what is reported is much less that the violence actually going on there.
The actual problem at the ground level seems to be caste related with some sections of society not happy that the lower castes are being more empowered.
What is sick is that innocent people are made to suffer for reasons they have nothing to do anything with.
This is a mail I received from one of my contacts directly in touch with the victim area
Update about the Condition in Orissa
One of our pastors named Pr. xxxxxx xxxxxxxx (Sameer) and his father are hiding from the militants, because they are searching for them to kill them. The Christians in Bamunigam (Orissa) have taken refuge in the forest from 24th December; they spent the Christmas eve and the New Year in the deep forest. About 300 Christian families from the Bamunigam area are still in the forest, facing all kinds of problems like unavailability of food, drinking water, medicine and warm clothes. They have to defend themselves from wild animals, snakes, poisonous reptiles and creepy-crawlies and also from the militants. Many infants, children and pregnant ladies are also hiding in such tough situation in the jungles. Our orphanage in Bamunigam, is 40 km. away from the city of Brahmanigam. Brahmanigam is one of the main places of concentration of rampant killing of the militants. Two tribal were killed in police firing. Schools, banks and markets are closed. The market is open only for 2 hours, but the Christian are not permitted to come to the market. At least 400 houses and 100 churches were burned or destroyed, about 27 people were killed. They tried to destroy our Orphanage in xxxxxxxxxx. However, as the police and the National and International media people needed a place to stay and only our orphanage had the needed space, they decided to occupy the building, so our orphans are protected, and the Government is providing 3 meals a day to our children also. There are 65 orphans in this home.
The Catholic Church in Brahmanigam is totally destroyed, 5 Christians in the area were killed and the Orissa Government declared that Rs. 100,000/- will be paid as a relief to the family of the dead. Today, the chief minister, a few of the cabinet ministers along with the Collector is touring Brahmanigam and the nearby villages. The militants want to wipe out all the Christian missions from the area. There are rumours about violence in many other places; many people, especially young girls are missing. From one mission school hostel 4 young girls are reportedly missing and the police are unable to trace these girls. The Police department and police personnel have proved totally ineffective. Where the Central Reserve Police Forces are deployed, the situation is little better.
Please forward this news to as many people as you know and ask for intercessory prayers may be even with fasting.
Thanks!
Yours in His Glad Service,
xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
Founder / Chairman
xxxxxxxx Mission
Another Letter, highly sensitive, interoffice status report, all identifiable details truncated
I am updating the Orissa situation for your kind information and prayer as follows:
3 of our newly constructed xxxxx Churches were attacked and damaged by a group of anti-social elements in Ranipada, Ladapangbadi, and Thengadapathar. The pastors and believers are under threat, many are hiding as the anti-socials are in search of them. Number of believers’ houses were burnt in which 3 people died. Few of our brothers who visited the area to gather information are also hiding. The real information of the situation is yet to be received. Section 144 is imposed in the troubled areas. Eventhough the government claims the situation to be under control, yet the reports of attacks are still received.
A letter from a christian worker who was assured that a top minister would be visiting the place
Mr. Sxx Pxx
Honorable Minister xxxxxxxxxx
Govt of India
North Block, Central Secretariat,
New Delhi - 110 001
Phone: xxxxxxxx
Fax: xxxxxxx
xx xxx 2008
Respected Mr. xxxxxxxx Minister,
Thank you so much for your gracious gesture to visit Kandhamal District
where Christians, Common Men, Women and Children have been suffering
since 24 December.
In the light of the confusion that prevails over the facts of what
happened in Kandhamal, your visit is a welcome step and a wonderful
gesture from the Central Government.
Several of our colleagues from New Delhi and from Bubaneshwar were
advised by the local police to not to go into the district as it is very
dangerous for them. At the same time the State DGP of Orissa and the
State Chief Secretary of Orissa kept giving public Statements that the
situation is fully under control. If it is under control why the
independent groups wanting to promote peace and goodwill were denied entry?
Sir, I just visited the Ministry of Home Affairs website in the
following pages at 10:45 pm on 2nd January 2008:
*www.mha.nic.in/press-release.htm
There is no statement issued about your visit to Kandhamal District.
The nation is awaiting to know what happened there in that District to
the Tribal Christians mostly poor that were made to flee into the
jungles and the Homes, Churches and Properties of Christians were
vandalised as if India is incapable of taking care of it's own people,
when some fundamentalists plan to attack and go scot free. It would be
very kind if you could kindly release to the nation a detailed info as
to what happened in Kandhamal from 24th December 2007 till today, the
action / inaction of Orissa State Government, your recommendation as the
Union Home Minister to the Prime Minister and President of India in the
light of the massive failure of the Orissa government.
We would also be very glad to know the steps that you initiated for
rehabilitation of the victims and getting those in the Relief Camps of
the State Government back to their normal lives. Also the compensation
that matches their losses hopefully is planned to be given to the victims?
Thank you again for your visit to Kandhamal.
Sincerely Yours,
Dr. xxxxx xxxxxxx
National Secretary, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
News Articles below
News Published in the News Paper “The Hitavada 28 December, 2007.
Phulbanui (Orissa)
2 More die in Orissa as violence spreads.
Two more persons were killed and 12 churches torched by miscreants on Thursday in continued communal violence which spread, to new areas of riot-torn Kandhamal district.
“We have received reports about death of two persons in Kandhamal district,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters in Bhubaneswar without giving details.
Unofficial sources, however, put the death toll at four. The identity of the dead are yet to be ascertained, official sources said. Earlier on Christmas day, one person was killed in Barakhamba a day after the violence broke out.
Miscreants ransacked and torched over a dozen churches and prayer halls at G Udaygiri, Nuagaon, Brahmanigaon and Phulbani Sadar while the residence of Rajya Sabha Congress MP Radha Kant Nayak, accused of being behind the attack on VHP leader Laxamanda Saraswati, was ransacked in Dasingbadi, the police said. Of the 12 places of worship torched by miscreants seven were in Gandapadar, Badahapanga, Bhandarapada, Pisupadar, Masapadar, Minia and Adigara under Phulbani Sadar police station area in the early hours, church and police sources said.
Three churches and prayer halls were ransacked and burnt at Bakingia, Tingia and Kotaguda, while a minor blast was also reported, the sources said.
Several houses of minority members were ransacked in Nuagaon area, the sources said. Police opened fire to disperse a mob which was about to attack a police station at Brahmanigaon where members of a particular community had taken shelter, official sources. Superintendent of police of neighboring Gajapati district A N Sinha, who had been deputed to Kandhamal to look after security arrangements at Brahmanigaon, was injured in a clash between the police and local people, the Chief Minister said. While the situation in other parts of the district remained normal, Brahmanigaon was tense, he said.
Contacted, Director General of Police Gopal Nanda told PTI that details about the incidents were yet to be received and described the situation at Brahmanigaon as “very tense”.
“Kui tribals, opposing tribal status to Christians belonging to SC “Pana” group joined hands, with clashes breaking out at Brahmanigaon in Daringbadi area. Curfew was in force in Phulbani and Baliguda besides Daringibadi and Brahmanigaon areas for the third consecutive day today.
This news was published in the Newspaper “The Hitavada 26, December 2007, Nagpur.
One killed; 6 churches attacked in Orissa
Phulbani, Dec.25 (Orissa)
Curfew was imposed in four towns after a youth was killed and six churches and a minister’s houses were targetted on Wednesday in large scale communal violence and arson in Orissa’s Kandhamal district following an attack on a VHP leader who led an anti-conversion movement.
A youth was killed in mob violence at Barakhamba, a senior police officer said, adding he was yet to be identified.
The trouble started on Monday morning at the Christian majority Brahmanigaon village over erection of a gate on the eve of Christmas. Some youths belonging another group opposed erection of the gate. This led to a fight between the two groups.
Things blew out of proportions when Hindu seer Swami Laxmananda Saraswati was attacked by some youths during his visit to the area in the afternoon.
Reports said a few rioters trespassed into the house of state Steel and Mines Minister Padmanabh Behera’s house in the district headquarters and set one of the parked vehicles afire. The minister, however, was not present at home then.
At least six churches, mostly built in thatched houses, were either ransacked or the vacant premises set on fire since last night as tension built up in the area, Revenue Divisional Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu told PTI. Two police outposts and a police vehicle were set on fire, he said.
“Following large-scale violence, we have imposed curfew in district headquarters town of Phulbani, Baliguda, Daringbadi and Brahmanigaon to prevent further flare up, “ Sahu said.
Unconfirmed reports said 12 churches were targeted by vandals since last night and additional forces deployed in sensitive pockets of the district where of the total 6.50 lakh population, more than one lakh belonged to Christian community. The violence, which began at Brahmanigaon village under Daringbadi area yesterday, gradually spread to other parts of the district with miscreants attacking two houses of the state’s Steel and Mines Minister Padmanabha Behera at Phiringia and Nuapadar villages, 10 km from here. While three churches were set on fire at Baliguda last night, three others were burnt today at different villages under Nuagaon block, official sources said. Churches at Chakapada, Giringia and Phiringia were also ransacked before being set afire, the sources said.
A Police station and a police outpost area were set on fire and the official jeep of circle inspectors of Phulbani and Tikabali torched by the mob which attacked officers of some organisations including an orphanage run by Christian missionaries in different parts of the district. Policemen who went to Daringbadi, Phiringia and Chakapada blocks were not allowed access by the mob which took to streets.
“The situation is tense but we are trying to get control,” Director General of Police Gopal Nanda told PTI adding additional armed forces were being sent tot he violence-prone areas of the tribal-dominated district
I have got a lot more stuff, and let me assure you, what is reported is much less that the violence actually going on there.
The actual problem at the ground level seems to be caste related with some sections of society not happy that the lower castes are being more empowered.
What is sick is that innocent people are made to suffer for reasons they have nothing to do anything with.
This is a mail I received from one of my contacts directly in touch with the victim area
Update about the Condition in Orissa
One of our pastors named Pr. xxxxxx xxxxxxxx (Sameer) and his father are hiding from the militants, because they are searching for them to kill them. The Christians in Bamunigam (Orissa) have taken refuge in the forest from 24th December; they spent the Christmas eve and the New Year in the deep forest. About 300 Christian families from the Bamunigam area are still in the forest, facing all kinds of problems like unavailability of food, drinking water, medicine and warm clothes. They have to defend themselves from wild animals, snakes, poisonous reptiles and creepy-crawlies and also from the militants. Many infants, children and pregnant ladies are also hiding in such tough situation in the jungles. Our orphanage in Bamunigam, is 40 km. away from the city of Brahmanigam. Brahmanigam is one of the main places of concentration of rampant killing of the militants. Two tribal were killed in police firing. Schools, banks and markets are closed. The market is open only for 2 hours, but the Christian are not permitted to come to the market. At least 400 houses and 100 churches were burned or destroyed, about 27 people were killed. They tried to destroy our Orphanage in xxxxxxxxxx. However, as the police and the National and International media people needed a place to stay and only our orphanage had the needed space, they decided to occupy the building, so our orphans are protected, and the Government is providing 3 meals a day to our children also. There are 65 orphans in this home.
The Catholic Church in Brahmanigam is totally destroyed, 5 Christians in the area were killed and the Orissa Government declared that Rs. 100,000/- will be paid as a relief to the family of the dead. Today, the chief minister, a few of the cabinet ministers along with the Collector is touring Brahmanigam and the nearby villages. The militants want to wipe out all the Christian missions from the area. There are rumours about violence in many other places; many people, especially young girls are missing. From one mission school hostel 4 young girls are reportedly missing and the police are unable to trace these girls. The Police department and police personnel have proved totally ineffective. Where the Central Reserve Police Forces are deployed, the situation is little better.
Please forward this news to as many people as you know and ask for intercessory prayers may be even with fasting.
Thanks!
Yours in His Glad Service,
xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
Founder / Chairman
xxxxxxxx Mission
Another Letter, highly sensitive, interoffice status report, all identifiable details truncated
I am updating the Orissa situation for your kind information and prayer as follows:
3 of our newly constructed xxxxx Churches were attacked and damaged by a group of anti-social elements in Ranipada, Ladapangbadi, and Thengadapathar. The pastors and believers are under threat, many are hiding as the anti-socials are in search of them. Number of believers’ houses were burnt in which 3 people died. Few of our brothers who visited the area to gather information are also hiding. The real information of the situation is yet to be received. Section 144 is imposed in the troubled areas. Eventhough the government claims the situation to be under control, yet the reports of attacks are still received.
A letter from a christian worker who was assured that a top minister would be visiting the place
Mr. Sxx Pxx
Honorable Minister xxxxxxxxxx
Govt of India
North Block, Central Secretariat,
New Delhi - 110 001
Phone: xxxxxxxx
Fax: xxxxxxx
xx xxx 2008
Respected Mr. xxxxxxxx Minister,
Thank you so much for your gracious gesture to visit Kandhamal District
where Christians, Common Men, Women and Children have been suffering
since 24 December.
In the light of the confusion that prevails over the facts of what
happened in Kandhamal, your visit is a welcome step and a wonderful
gesture from the Central Government.
Several of our colleagues from New Delhi and from Bubaneshwar were
advised by the local police to not to go into the district as it is very
dangerous for them. At the same time the State DGP of Orissa and the
State Chief Secretary of Orissa kept giving public Statements that the
situation is fully under control. If it is under control why the
independent groups wanting to promote peace and goodwill were denied entry?
Sir, I just visited the Ministry of Home Affairs website in the
following pages at 10:45 pm on 2nd January 2008:
*www.mha.nic.in/press-release.htm
There is no statement issued about your visit to Kandhamal District.
The nation is awaiting to know what happened there in that District to
the Tribal Christians mostly poor that were made to flee into the
jungles and the Homes, Churches and Properties of Christians were
vandalised as if India is incapable of taking care of it's own people,
when some fundamentalists plan to attack and go scot free. It would be
very kind if you could kindly release to the nation a detailed info as
to what happened in Kandhamal from 24th December 2007 till today, the
action / inaction of Orissa State Government, your recommendation as the
Union Home Minister to the Prime Minister and President of India in the
light of the massive failure of the Orissa government.
We would also be very glad to know the steps that you initiated for
rehabilitation of the victims and getting those in the Relief Camps of
the State Government back to their normal lives. Also the compensation
that matches their losses hopefully is planned to be given to the victims?
Thank you again for your visit to Kandhamal.
Sincerely Yours,
Dr. xxxxx xxxxxxx
National Secretary, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
News Articles below
News Published in the News Paper “The Hitavada 28 December, 2007.
Phulbanui (Orissa)
2 More die in Orissa as violence spreads.
Two more persons were killed and 12 churches torched by miscreants on Thursday in continued communal violence which spread, to new areas of riot-torn Kandhamal district.
“We have received reports about death of two persons in Kandhamal district,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters in Bhubaneswar without giving details.
Unofficial sources, however, put the death toll at four. The identity of the dead are yet to be ascertained, official sources said. Earlier on Christmas day, one person was killed in Barakhamba a day after the violence broke out.
Miscreants ransacked and torched over a dozen churches and prayer halls at G Udaygiri, Nuagaon, Brahmanigaon and Phulbani Sadar while the residence of Rajya Sabha Congress MP Radha Kant Nayak, accused of being behind the attack on VHP leader Laxamanda Saraswati, was ransacked in Dasingbadi, the police said. Of the 12 places of worship torched by miscreants seven were in Gandapadar, Badahapanga, Bhandarapada, Pisupadar, Masapadar, Minia and Adigara under Phulbani Sadar police station area in the early hours, church and police sources said.
Three churches and prayer halls were ransacked and burnt at Bakingia, Tingia and Kotaguda, while a minor blast was also reported, the sources said.
Several houses of minority members were ransacked in Nuagaon area, the sources said. Police opened fire to disperse a mob which was about to attack a police station at Brahmanigaon where members of a particular community had taken shelter, official sources. Superintendent of police of neighboring Gajapati district A N Sinha, who had been deputed to Kandhamal to look after security arrangements at Brahmanigaon, was injured in a clash between the police and local people, the Chief Minister said. While the situation in other parts of the district remained normal, Brahmanigaon was tense, he said.
Contacted, Director General of Police Gopal Nanda told PTI that details about the incidents were yet to be received and described the situation at Brahmanigaon as “very tense”.
“Kui tribals, opposing tribal status to Christians belonging to SC “Pana” group joined hands, with clashes breaking out at Brahmanigaon in Daringbadi area. Curfew was in force in Phulbani and Baliguda besides Daringibadi and Brahmanigaon areas for the third consecutive day today.
This news was published in the Newspaper “The Hitavada 26, December 2007, Nagpur.
One killed; 6 churches attacked in Orissa
Phulbani, Dec.25 (Orissa)
Curfew was imposed in four towns after a youth was killed and six churches and a minister’s houses were targetted on Wednesday in large scale communal violence and arson in Orissa’s Kandhamal district following an attack on a VHP leader who led an anti-conversion movement.
A youth was killed in mob violence at Barakhamba, a senior police officer said, adding he was yet to be identified.
The trouble started on Monday morning at the Christian majority Brahmanigaon village over erection of a gate on the eve of Christmas. Some youths belonging another group opposed erection of the gate. This led to a fight between the two groups.
Things blew out of proportions when Hindu seer Swami Laxmananda Saraswati was attacked by some youths during his visit to the area in the afternoon.
Reports said a few rioters trespassed into the house of state Steel and Mines Minister Padmanabh Behera’s house in the district headquarters and set one of the parked vehicles afire. The minister, however, was not present at home then.
At least six churches, mostly built in thatched houses, were either ransacked or the vacant premises set on fire since last night as tension built up in the area, Revenue Divisional Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu told PTI. Two police outposts and a police vehicle were set on fire, he said.
“Following large-scale violence, we have imposed curfew in district headquarters town of Phulbani, Baliguda, Daringbadi and Brahmanigaon to prevent further flare up, “ Sahu said.
Unconfirmed reports said 12 churches were targeted by vandals since last night and additional forces deployed in sensitive pockets of the district where of the total 6.50 lakh population, more than one lakh belonged to Christian community. The violence, which began at Brahmanigaon village under Daringbadi area yesterday, gradually spread to other parts of the district with miscreants attacking two houses of the state’s Steel and Mines Minister Padmanabha Behera at Phiringia and Nuapadar villages, 10 km from here. While three churches were set on fire at Baliguda last night, three others were burnt today at different villages under Nuagaon block, official sources said. Churches at Chakapada, Giringia and Phiringia were also ransacked before being set afire, the sources said.
A Police station and a police outpost area were set on fire and the official jeep of circle inspectors of Phulbani and Tikabali torched by the mob which attacked officers of some organisations including an orphanage run by Christian missionaries in different parts of the district. Policemen who went to Daringbadi, Phiringia and Chakapada blocks were not allowed access by the mob which took to streets.
“The situation is tense but we are trying to get control,” Director General of Police Gopal Nanda told PTI adding additional armed forces were being sent tot he violence-prone areas of the tribal-dominated district
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