Rally in London against violence in Orissa

Friday,3 October 2008 18:18 hrs IST

- London: A rally calling for an end to the current wave of anti-Christian vio lence in the Indian state of Orissa will take place in London Saturday Oct 4. Many Christians have been killed, and an estimated 50,000 forced to flee their homes in the eastern state as attacks on Christians have escalated across the country after a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides were shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his Jalespata Ashram in Kandhamal district Aug 23. His supporters blamed Chris tians for the murder, and then followed a spate of revenge attacks on Christian homes and churches. Ashok Masih Mattu, chairman of UK-based Indian Christian Concern, one of the groups organ ising Saturday’s rally, said that violence against Christians has in creased since the murder of the Australian missionary Graham Staines in Orissa in 1999.   more

Delhi church attacked

Delhi church attacked 2 weeks ago, cops mum 4 Oct 2008, 0013 hrs IST, Deeksha Chopra & Samreen Hussain,TNN

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New Delhi: The fanatical Hindu mobs have struck in the Capital. And the police has kept it under wraps. A good fortnight  Relief Camp and demolished the frontal portion of the Christian prayer hall in the camp. This camp in west Delhi is barely 15 km from Parliament House. To this day, this group of Christians is holding weekly mass with police protection. The families say they are living in constant fear of local miscreants allegedly owing allegiance to ''some religious organisations'' who accuse them of carrying out ''forced conversions'' and threaten to ''take away'' their daughters unless they ''mended their ways.'' The mob had struck on September 16. Despite repeated attempts, the community has not managed to get a FIR registered for what they call ''vandalism'' and police describe as ''regular land dispute''. more

Christians Protest rally in Tamenglong

Rally against violence on Christians taken out in Tamenglong

Written by admin on 6:02 AM

T amenglong, Oct 2 : Hundreds of Christians in Tamenglong district of Manipur marched down the streets at the district headquarters to protest against the atrocities meted out to the Christians in Orissa and Karnataka. The rallyists gathered at the deputy commissioner’s office to submit a memorandum shouted in one voice, “We condemn attacks on Christian minority”, “Don’t repeat such barbaric acts”.As the DC was not present in his office, the memorandum which was meant to be forwarded to the Union home ministry, New Delhi was handed over to the SDC who promised to fax it to the office of the MHA immediately. The memorandum appealed to the government of India and concerned states to take immediate action to stop killing of Christians and atrocities on them. It also demanded rehabilitation of the persecuted Christians by providing adequate relief materials and safeguarding the minority Christians in the two states.

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Christian Dharna at Jantar Mantar and Peace March to Gandhi Samadhi

The 7 day sit-in peaceful Dharna by the Christian community at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, from 26th September to 2nd October 2008 ended with a Peace March of approximately 10,000 protestors to the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, on his 139th birth anniversary.

Religious leaders from all faiths, and social activists also joined Christians from all denominations in the Peace March.

A memorandum addressed to Mahatma Gandhi Bapu, was read, with copies to Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Sardar Vallbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, members of the constituents assembly; the President, the Prime Minister and the Government of India.  more

Fresh violence in Kandhamal, Church attacked in Coimbatore

Fresh violence in Kandhamal, curfew reimposed Times of India 2 Oct 2008, 0120 hrs IST, Sandeep Mishra,TNN BHUBANESWAR: Curfew was reimposed in nine major locations in Kandhamal on Wednesday amid fresh attacks on Christian prayer halls in some parts of  Singed By Communal Fire. (TOI) the riot-ravaged district. Police, for the first time since the violence erupted, arrested a number of saffron leaders of the region, giving rise to tension and protests in different areas. Stray incidents of violence continued and an enraged mob of around 100 tribals damaged at least 16 houses and a prayer hall in worst-hit Raikia area, said official sources. At least four houses were gutted at Beheragaon. Torching of some houses was also reported from Gochhapada, while some agitated locals protesting against arrests gheraoed the police station at Tumudibandh. Another church attacked in TN  COIMBATORE : Another church in Tamil Nadu came under a spell of stone pelting by miscreants — this time, in communally sensitive Coimbatore. The glass door of Scion Assembly of Church in Kuppanur near Perur in rural Coimbatore was damaged on Tuesday evening.   Read it all

Court directs Orissa to deploy paramilitary forces

Nation

ARCHBISHOP . A M Chinnappa: Anti-Christian violence is treated passively by the Govenrment

The whole country is keeping quiet and watching the fun Condemn attack on Christians, Bishop tells public September 30, 2008 | 23:16:27 ARCHBISHOP of Madras-Mylapore Diocese Rev. A M Chinnappa has appealed to the public to speak out against the recent atrocities committed against Christians in Orissa, Karnataka and other parts of the country. He was speaking at the centenary celebrations of Sacred Heart Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai. Exclusive to The Christian Messenger: | Need a common fund for Orissa Christians' relief | 'VHP was planning to attack Orissa Christians anyway' | Addressing the gathering, he said: “Christians across the country are being massacred and churches destroyed. Even the little property owned by poor people, especially those from minority communities such as Dalits and tribals, which is practically worth nothing, is being ransacked. It is a pity.” The bishop referred to the attacks being carried out against tribal Christians in Kandhamal district of Orissa after the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati by suspected Maoists. “The saddest part is that the whole country is keeping quiet and watching the fun. The central and state police in Orissa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are keeping mum. Everybody sympathises and sends messages but to no avail,” he said. Regretting the passive manner in which news of the anti-Christian violence is being treated, he said: “I ask the good people of the country to speak out boldly. We handled the tsunami because the money came from outside but we are not able to do anything now. I bow my head in gratitude to those who are trying to do something to help the Christians.”  read