Report examines the brutal treatment of Christians by Hindu fanatics.
For the last 11 months, Christians in India's Orissa state and elsewhere have been the objects of hateful persecution. A report by internationnal human-rights investigators, lays out the mistreatment and abuse in unsettling detail.
-In Orissa State, 65 identified people have been killed and 85 are still unaccounted for.
Among those killed were one man buried alive near the village of Rudangla; several
people burnt to death and others cut into pieces.
- 117 churches of all Christian denominations destroyed. Not a single Hindu temple has
been destroyed – despite allegations of retaliation by Christians.
- Approximately 5,000 homes destroyed.
- An unspecified number of Christian businesses destroyed, with the loss of livelihood for
their owners.
- 54,000 people displaced from their homes, forced to take shelter in 14 State-sponsored
Relief Camps in Kandhamal District; together with many hundreds living in non-State
camps, including 2 ‘camps’ in densely overcrowded buildings in Cuttsack town.
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- It is estimated that about 20,000 are still living in the jungle or have fled to big cities.
Some may be living with relatives elsewhere.
- In addition to the violence in Kandhamal District, 2 other Districts, Japati and Baragras
District, have also experienced similar atrocities, including killings, looting and burning
of churches and homes. 2 Relief camps have been established for approximately 2,700
people who have had to flee their homes.
Click here for the full report. Warning: Some of the descriptions are disturbing. See CT's November editorial here.
share thisPosted by Stan Guthrie on November 14, 2008 2:10PM
Comments
Yes, Ive been following this and its most disturbing. Had some very interesting conversations with Hindus about it too.
Found that some Hindus are very simplistically equating evangelism and terrorism (such that both represent 'violent' attacks on their culture and violent defence against them is justified). Was subjected to all sorts of rhetoric about 'forced' conversions of Hindus to Christianity (any improvement of the material existance of Dalits after liberation from the caste system is seen as 'indusement). It really overturns western romanticisms about the inherent peacefulness of Hinduism in contrast to Christianity and Islam. Much of this 'all religions are the same' rhetoric is NOT about live and let live, which ever religion you have its your choise, its a Hindu way of saying, leave us alone and don't try to convert us.
They are right in one thing, Christianity does challenge the caste system. You'll find me blogging on it at http://mattstone.blogs.com/glocalchristianity
Posted by: Matt Stone at November 14, 2008
Thanks for this update/report; very useful! A number of us from church were made aware of this situation recently; have since set up a web page + facebook group on the issue and what political advocacy can be leveraged to the situation. Please check it out... -B
Web Page: http://orissa.benmurphyonline.com
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=39389941786
Posted by: BENMURPHYONLINE at November 14, 2008
Please keep in mind that some Hindu's are notifying their Christian neighbors that attacks are coming.
Posted by: dennis wells at November 17, 2008
I agree with this article, Radical Christianism Terrorist Martyrdom attacks have plagued India and the non-competing/non-recruiting (actually lacking ANY concept of conversion) religion of Hinduism (which is the oldest in the world, by the way, and survived centuries of Muslim rule, which means attempts to eradicate it are futile) for too long. This is just as psychopathic, selfish, infantile, depraved, egomaniacal, and perverse as the Radical Islamism Suicide-Bombing attacks. They do it to be martyrs just like the terrorists of their sister religion, Christianism. Martyrdom is for Radical Christianists the ultimate form of masturbation, the ultimate "high." Millennia of research have shown that it is the most lethal drug known to man.
I applaud the commenter who is taking action to use political leverage to put a stop to this Radical, Extremist Christianism. Only when the Radical Islamists and Christianists are stopped can humanity live in God's grace.
Posted by: Anna at May 11, 2009
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