Brown's Daily Word 9-6-08

Press Release 09-05-2008

Center and State Governments unconcerned about continuing violence

Federation of Indian Christian Organizations in North America is shocked to note that the inhuman events taking place against Christians in Orissa is continuing in spite of assurances from the Centre and the State Governments. The Orissa Government has been reduced to a position of being a mute spectator. The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh has assured that the violence will stop; however, no signs of its abatement are evident enough to warrant his well-meaning intentions.

Although CRPF, police, and the paramilitary have been deployed, yet the anti-Christian pogrom does not stop. The Orissa Government has declared the situation is "under control". It is astonishing that in an "under control" situation, six more churches have been attacked, set on fire, and completely razed to ground. Hundreds of Christian-owned houses have met a similar fate. The number of missing people and refugees is rising. More than 60,000 Christians are hiding in the forests without food and water. Hindu radicals are making plans to cleanse Orissa of its Christian population. The brutal mob goes on raping nuns and beating up priests. Thereafter nuns and priests are stripped semi-naked and paraded on the streets and ordered to have sex with each other for the devilish enjoyment of the satanic mob or die. The priests and nuns obviously refuse and so the mob pours kerosene, petrol, and other country made fuels on their heads, and torches them alive. All this happens in broad daylight. There have been more than 3,000 forcible "re-conversions" to Hinduism, where the re-converted Hindus are ordered to attack the same churches where they once prayed. Christians are mercilessly persecuted, pregnant women are cut to pieces, thousands are rendered homeless, orphanages are burnt, churches are razed, and yet the Orissa Government labels the situation as "under control".

The Union Home Minister's statement of not naming the VHP as the culprit shows his weakness and his inability to rein the anti-society, anti-democracy, and anti-national activities of the VHP. It was more or less a Congress affair and no word against the BJD-BJP Government has been spoken by him, which has left the Orissa Congress leaders speechless. Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil commented, "I am not here to indulge in blame game", displays his total lack of interest in resolving the volatile situation. His visit was meaningless and has in fact encouraged more violence. Home Minister should play control game and control the violence. Dr. Victor Joseph, Chairman Governmental Relations said “The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has failed miserably in sending an investigation team to the riot-hit areas of Orissa.” The NHRC has come to mean wastage of national resources, as it is unable to pull up the Orissa state authorities for their acts of commissions and omissions on human rights. The NHRC has even failed to issue a public statement either to condemn the killings or visit the strife-torn areas to improve the situation of the victims. It only issued a perfunctory notice to the State Government of Orissa where it suppressed the actual status of the grave situation, which in itself is scandalous, considering the scale of violence against Christians. The Ministry of Minority Affairs has also taken no action on the Orissa violence against Christians. There is a global outcry against these barbaric atrocities being perpetrated towards Christians, which may result in a possible backlash in reduction in foreign investments in Orissa. The violence has not completely subsided and this continuous violence tarnishes the image of India, which is no longer viewed as a non-violent, and a peace-loving country.

FIACONA condemns the barbaric acts of violence that are still taking place in Orissa against Christians in the strongest possible terms. The attitude of the current government in Orissa and at the Centre towards these types of macabre acts against the Christian minority is unacceptable. Government should intervene to protect the rights of the minorities and the freedom of religion. Heinous crimes of this magnitude cannot be ignored. All these ghoulish incidents highlight the trauma, the pain, and the helplessness of the Christians.

FIACONA demands an immediate investigation into this matter by the respective authorities. The Union Government must authorize the Army to move its troops into affected districts where the local police and RAF have failed miserably. The NHRC should send an investigation team and see that human rights are not violated. The Ministry of Minority Affairs should ensure the security of the minorities. The Centre must dismiss the Orissa Government as it has totally failed to protect its citizens. Urgent compensation to the kin of the dead and the injured must be provided. Relief and rehabilitation must be provided so that the tens of thousands of Christians now hiding in the forests can return home. The Government must rebuild every single home, every single orphanage, and every single church that has been attacked and burnt. The Government must book the culprits and prosecute them. “Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should immediately resign, said Bernard Malik President of FIACONA “if not on the grounds of complete failure of law and order, then certainly on the grounds of lack of initiative to curb the ongoing violence.”

For the favor of publication
Rev. Bernard Malik
302-354-5452
www.fiacona.org