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Contents 1 A Word of God for Orissa 2 2008 Persecution in Orissa, India 2.1 An ongoing chronology of the violence against Christians 2.1.1 Black Christmas 2007 2.1.2 News from 23 July 2008 2.1.3 News from 26 August 2008 2.1.4 News from 28 August 2008 2.1.5 September 2008: 2.1.6 October 17, 2008 2.2 November 2008 2.3 NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER & FASTING On Sunday, the 7th September 2008 2.4 Moody BIble Institute Facilitators in India 2.5 Flooding, more violence in Orissa 2.6 Unrest continues in other Indian states plagued by anti-Christian violence as well.

[edit] A Word of God for Orissa

• "But if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come from another place but you and your father's family will perish………………………" (Esther 4:14)

• "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed...So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:7-8, 16-18)

[edit] 2008 Persecution in Orissa, India

[edit] An ongoing chronology of the violence against Christians

• Persecution of Christians increased during the 1990s. Orissa shares with Gujarat the worst record for Hindu extremist violence. Many churches have been destroyed and Christian workers attacked, some molested and killed. Church growth has also increased in despite harsh state anti-conversion laws.

[edit] Black Christmas 2007

• Kandhamal, in the state of Orissa, India, once a peaceful land, inhibited by tribals such as Kondhs and Damas, speaking a common language Kui, has been affected very much due to communal violence. The trouble began with the destruction of the Christmas decorations by people of Hindu fundamentalists at Christmas 2007. The issue was the rumour that the tribes had been forced to convert to Christianity. As a result, 730 houses and 95 churches were burnt. According to some official figure, nine Christians were killed, including two pastors, 2000 others were beaten and injured, and a number of businesses destroyed. A number of Christians have been forced to leave their homes and take refuge in the forest. This wave of violence was the largest attack on the Christian community in the history of democratic India. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens in many parts of India as Hindu extremists react from fear of the powerful growth of the Christian movement in the nation.
• Greetings! The local Christians are so grateful for your prayers for the Christians in Kandhamal District of Orissa, India. The situation is yet to be under control. On 7th January 2008 evening another pastor was burned alive by the Hindu fanatics. Christians are fleeing away from many villages and Tribal settlement for life with bare cloths they were wearing. They are very much depressed. No media is allowed to enter this area or permitted to broadcast these reports. Orissa has seen many incidents like these, however after the murder of Graham Staines, a missionary from Australia, who was working to rehabilitate leprosy people, in the year 1999, this is the greatest persecution. As many parts of Bihar and other states are under the control of Naxalism, an anti-government outfits, people think that this district may fall in the hands of Hindu fanatics. Please, pray for the safety of local Christians and Christian missionaries who are working in these places and for the properties. Many churches and house churches were demolished and placed the Hindu flags on those places. "Many Christians are wounded and fractured!" Words cannot explain the calamity and pain they are undergoing.

• The Christians in Orissa plea to the Christian community to respond to this situation for those Christians who lost every thing. There is a need to rehabilitate them. It includes every thing, cloths, food, house etc. Hundreds of Christians are with out any cloths or home or anything to eat. They are running away for life. Please join hands in collecting used cloths and other stuffs which can be passed on to these people and raise some finance also to rehabilitate these dear children of God who are loved by God.

[edit] News from 23 July 2008

• In Orissa, Hindu extremists belonging to the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on July 23, 2008, tortured and forcibly “reconverted” Christians to Hinduism in Kantapala village, Jajpur district.

[edit] News from 26 August 2008

• In Phulbani, the district headquarter of Kondhamal district, more than 25 houses were attacked, all house hold things/ properties burned in front of the houses. RC church and Baptist church were attacked and ransacked in the presence of the police.

• In Raikia, 40km from Phulbani, 10 shops belong to Christians burned and looted yesterday while the dead body of late lakhanananda Saraswati was carried towards Phulbani and than cremated in Chakapada where Mr.Swaraswati lived for many years and continued all the activities.

• 1. In Tikabali, which is near to Chakapada Mr.Swaraswati, more than 10 houses were set ablaze and one Church completely demolished. Now all Christians with families live in the jungle.

• 2. Pastor Sikandar Singh(Missionary Association President, Kalahandi)was attacked by a group of fundamentalists today morning 9am. His house is looted and demolished. Believers from Indian Christian Revival Mission were attacked too.

• 3. In Jeerango, a village 32km away from Parlakhemundi and around 90km from Berhampur, one church was blasted and 11 houses were destroyed. Activists were not from the local area.

• 4. Twelve families in Rupanagar, 3km away from Chakapada, were attacked, houses were set ablaze onewoman was burned alive apart from a nun who burned alive in Baragada ashram. Fundamentalists are basically from neighboring states.

• 5. Mr. Prabir Kumar Swain from Jagatsinghpur ADP, a project of WVI, is gharowed by the fundamentalists since morning. They are arguing and forcing the house owner to take Mr. Pravir and pastor out of the house. House is famous person in that small town and gracious to these two families. But the fundamental activities waiting out side the house to attack pastor and Mr. Pravir's family. Night 2 am one vehicle will come from Bhubaneswar to take them. Though it is very much risky but they do not have any alternative. Please pray for them.

• 6. In Baliguda Rev. Gurubandhu Sansad, Ex.UESI staff an UBS graduate is under attack. House owner suddenly asked him to vacate the house as fundamentalist activities would attack him at evening. When I called Rev.Gurubandhu at evening he was not in a situation to talk to me over phone as he was about to be attacked and asked me to pray and put down his phone. We are not able to contact him.

• 7. In Divyajoyti a RC pastoral centre in Angamendi village, near Nuagoan and 20km away from Baliguda, Father Thomas Challen was bitten mercilessly and stripped, was made to walk necked in Nuagoan and baliguda. A Nun who was in that centre was raped yesterday at about 3 pm.

• 8. Around 3 people were killed in the village Piangian 3km away from Rikia. This news has to be confirmed yet. Now at this moment house burning is going on in Rikia by more than 200 fundamental activities. Police is simply following them helplessly. Police is watching the situation being inactive.

• 9. Many fundamental activities are entering into Kharihar Road, 150 km from Raipur and around 10km from Nuapada (Orissa), through Nuapada to attack kharihar Mission Hospital. They burned two shops in front of the Christian hospital. Now the hospital is protected by the police. Activities have bitten up the local pastor Isudananda Senapati.

• Whole night burning is going on in different parts of Orissa especially in Kondhamal dist.

[edit] News from 28 August 2008

• Christian groups in India are urging intense prayer for the nation’s eastern state of Orissa following religious violence sparked by the killing of a Hindu leader. A group of burgeoning communist insurgents (Maoists) have attacked and killed Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Laksmanananda Saraswati and four of his associates on Saturday, August 23, 2008. The Orissa government has ordered a judicial probe into his killing. But various Hindu nationalist groups blame local Christians for the killings. They claim the attack was retaliation for the “Black Christmas” persecution that began December 24, 2007, when 90 churches were destroyed and 700 homes burned. Saraswati reportedly instigated the attacks. August 24/25, 2008 more than 600 churches have been demolished, 4,000 Christians forced to flee from their villages, and at least 60 persons were killed as a result of violent persecution from Hindus. Also houses and shops belonging to Christians were destroyed, about 50,000 persons are suffering. “Please pray for the protection of Christian families and property in this area as we are being threatened to be burned alive,” a Christian leader wrote. In the meantime, riots continue to erupt all over Orissa by Hindu extremists believing the lie. Christians are once again being forced to flee into the jungles as their homes are being looted, demolished and burned.

[edit] September 2008:

• Conversion to Hinduism a condition for Christians to return home in Kandhamal. “Those who don’t want to become Hindus, stay here at the relief camp. Those who have gone back to their villages are tonsured and forcibly converted,” said D.S. Kumar. He used to run an STD booth and a petty shop in Minia, a village in Kandhamal district of Orissa, before his home, possessions and shop were burnt by Hindutva mobs on August 24. Nearly 90 Christian homes in his village were destroyed between August 24 and 29.

• This Mission based in G. Udayagiri, Orissa. Thirty churches have been destroyed by some religious fanatics. Pray for the safety of three Children's Home run by Happy Valley Ministries having 130 children in Orissa. Pray for the safety of the believers and churches to be reconstructed. Involved in Church Planting, Training, Literacy programmes and Children’s home.

[edit] October 17, 2008

• Scores of Christians have converted to Hinduism in Orissa's Kandhamal district in the past few weeks to save their lives and properties, a government official admitted Friday.

• "We have received over 50 complaints where people alleged that Hindu villagers are forcing them to convert to Hinduism if want to save their lives and properties," a senior district administration official told IANS. "Over 30 people have informed us in writing that they changed their religion to Hinduism on their own and without any force," he said, adding that all the complaints were being investigated and action would be taken as per law. However, Sajan K. George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), said that the number of people who converted to Hinduism forcibly would be more than 600.

• "The villagers tonsured my head and forced me to drink cow dung water," a victim claimed in a relief camp in this town, the district headquarters of the volatile Kandhamal district. "We need to practice a religion what others too in our village are practicing," Krishna Nayak, a resident of Sarangad where over a dozen Christians converted to Hinduism had said. "The barbaric killings of Swamiji who worked for decades for Dalits and tribals in the region has shocked people," said a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader. The villagers were now returning to Hinduism because they realised that Christianity promotes violence and killing, he claimed. The region has borne the brunt of the communal violence following the killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides Aug 23 at his Jalespata Ashram.

• Although there has been no violence since past over two weeks, tension continues in the region over religious conversions. While night curfew is in force in nine towns in Kandhamal, prohibitory orders banning any gathering of four and more people are in force across the district.

[edit] November 2008

• Latest news: The number of people killed in the last month maybe at least 500 persons, the government has cremated hundreds of bodies, in order that no one can count the number of killings. The Christians are frightended and have not courage to go back to their villages.

Vertreter der Landesregierung des Unionsstaates Orissa haben zugegeben, dass die Ausschreitungen extremistischer Hindu-Gruppen gegen die Christen bisher mindestens 500 Tote gefordert haben. Ein indischer Beamter habe zugegeben, die Kremation von 200 Leichen angeordnet zu haben. In den 15 Flüchtlingslagern, in denen sich rund 13.000 Vertriebene aufhalten sollen, mangle es trotz offizieller Dementi der Regierung an Nahrungsmitteln und medizinischer Versorgung. Unter den Christen herrsche eine „Atmosphäre des Schreckens", niemand wage die Rückkehr in die Heimatorte. Die extremistischen Gruppierungen hätten bewaffneten Widerstand gegen die Polizei angekündigt; gleichzeitig würden aber die vertriebenen Christen von den Verantwortlichen der Flüchtlingslager zur Rückkehr in ihre Heimatdörfer gedrängt, „weil das Leben wieder normal" sei.

[edit] NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER & FASTING On Sunday, the 7th September 2008

‘The Suffering Christians in Orissa’

PRAYER REQUESTS

Pray for the rebuilding of houses, churches and mission centers burnt in the violence.

Pray for the bereaved families who have lost their near & dear ones.

Pray for the thousands of Christians who live either in the jungle or relief camps.

Pray that God would minister, console and encourage all and remove their fears.

Pray for a movement of God in withdrawing the ‘Hate Campaigns’ against Christians.

Pray for the peace to be restored immediately in all places and levels.

Pray for the 51 different India Missions Association (IMA) member missions that are working in Orissa. Some of the most affected missions are HVM, IEA, IEHC, IGOSA, ICCC, AGSM, RHS, OFU, C&SM, AJI, FMPB, NMS, IMS, IEM, NPMI, NLFI, NF and many others. The churches of all denominations and levels have been affected greatly by this violence.

IMA

Please make necessary announcements in all your Churches to take part in this nation day of fasting prayer. Spend a quality time to pray for the above issues in the Church services. Please inform all those churches you know in your area to do the same.

Rev. Dr. K. Rajendran Rev. Susanta Patra Dr. Rajesh Agarwal

General Secretary Prayer Convenor Chairman

[edit] Moody BIble Institute Facilitators in India

• Wednesday, October 01, 2008
• Subject: Urgent prayer request from workers in India, please pray. We have never seen anything like this. We knew that Orissa was the most resistant and hostile State in India as far as the Gospel is concerned. And we brushed off the continuous threats and harassment we faced as we went about His work. But none of our staff imagined that they would see this kind of carnage....And it seems to be totally under the radar of the Western Media ....Let me explain.... A militant Hindu priest and 4 of his attendants, who were zealously going around the villages of Orissa and 'reconverting' people back to Hinduism, were gunned down by unknown assailants in Central Orissa last weekend. Immediately the Christians were blamed. The cry rose up...'Kill the Christians!' And the horror began... In the past 4 days, we have first hand witness to hundreds of churches being blown up or burned and many, many dozens of Christian tribes have been slaughtered. For no other reason than they bear the name of Christ. Night and day I have been in touch with our Good News India Directors spread across 14 Dream Centers in Orissa..they are right in the middle of all this chaos. In Tihidi, just after the police came to offer protection, a group of 70 blood-thirsty militants came to kill our staff and destroy the home. They were not al lowed to get in, but they did a lot of damage to our Dream Center by throwing rocks and bricks and smashing our gate, etc. They have promised to come back and 'finish the job.' Our kids and staff are locked inside and have stayed that way with doors and windows shut for the past 3 days. It has been a time of desperately calling on the Lord in prayer. More police have come to offer protection. In Kalahandi, the police and some local sympathizers got to our dream center and gave our staff and kids about 3 minute s notice to vacate. No one had time to even grab a change of clothes or any personal belonging. As they fled, the blood thirsty mob came to kill everyone in the building. We would have had a mass funeral there, but for His grace. In Phulbani, the mob came looking for Christian homes and missions. The local Hindu people, our neighbors turned them away by saying that there were no Christians in this area. So they left. We had favor. The same thing happened in Balasore. All our dream centers are under lock down with the kids and staff huddled inside and police outside. The fanatics are circling outside waiting for a chance to kill. Others were not so fortunate. In a nearby Catholic orphanage, the mob allowed the kids to leave and locked up a Priest and a computer teacher in house and burned them to death. Many believers have been killed and hacked into pieces and left on the road. even women and children. At another orphanage run by another organization, when this began, the Director and his wife jumped on their motorbike and simply fled, leaving all the children and staff behind. Every one of our GNI directors that I have spoken to said: 'We stay with our kids.... we live together or die together, but we will never abandon what God has called us to do.' More than 5000 Christian families have had their homes burned or destroyed. They have fled into the jungles and are living in great fear waiting for the authorities to bring about peace. But so far, no peace is foreseen. This will continue for another 10 days.... supposedly the 14 day mourning period for the slain Hindu priest. Many more Christians will die and their houses destroyed. Many more churches will be smashed down. The Federal government is trying to restore order and perhaps things will calm down. We ask for your prayers. Only the Hand of God can calm this storm. None of us know the meaning of persecution. But now our kids and staff know what that means. So many of our kids coming from Hindu backgrounds are confused and totally bewildered at what is happening around them. So many of their guardians have fled into the jungles and are unable to come and get them during these trying times. Through all this, I am more determined than ever to continue with our goal: the transformation of a community by transforming its children. Orissa will be saved... that is our hea rt's cry. If we can take these thousands of throw-away children and help them to become disciples of Jesus, they will transform an entire region. It is a long term goal, but it is strategic thinking in terms of the Great Commission. What can you do? First, please uphold all this in fervent prayer. Second, pass this e-mail on to as many friends as you can. We must get the word out and increase our prayer base for this is spiritual warfare at its most basic meaning. We are literally fighting the devil in order to live for His Kingdom. The next 10 days are crucial. We pray for peace and calm to pervade across Orissa.

[edit] Flooding, more violence in Orissa

• The move by India's federal government came last week just as another disaster began unfolding in the state. Monsoon rains triggered flooding, which killed at least 17 people and affected more than 2.4 million others.

• The floods, the worst in the state in more than 50 years, swept across roads and made travel between the state capital of Bhubaneswar and surrounding districts impossible.

• In the midst of this natural disaster, the persecution against Christians continues unabated. On September 25, attackers rampaged through six villages, killing one man and injuring a second, who is now in the hospital. One church and 109 homes were destroyed in the rampage.

• Attacks on September 20 and 24 saw 55 homes burned in villages near the beleaguered Kandhamal District.

This church in Orissa was destroyed by extremists.

• Gospel for Asia officials in Orissa received credible reports that a Bible college in the state is a main target for attack. As a precaution, school officials placed the campus under lockdown and brought in extra security, even calling missionaries from the field to come help.

• Right now, there are 400 people total staying on campus. The school is located in an area of the state that has not yet come under heavy attack in the Hindu war on Christianity. Bishop Juria Bardhan, who oversees GFA's work in Orissa, expects that the school is in the sights of the persecuting mobs.

• "This district was free from any major violence during the first phase of attacks unleashed by the fundamentalist groups," Juria said. "But now they are planning their second campaign of hate. They are emboldened by the large victory of the BJP (nationalist political party) in the recent municipal elections in Orissa. We have heard that our church, Bible college and office are some of their main targets."

• The people who fled to relief camps are suffering from disease and the effects of the floods. Six people in the camps have died from what is believed to be dysentery. Many are leaving the camps, but finding they have no where to go.

Persecution Spreads to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

[edit] Unrest continues in other Indian states plagued by anti-Christian violence as well.

• A Gospel for Asia girl's Bible college in Haryana has received threats of violence. Members of the Bajrang Dal, a radical Hindu group responsible for many of the recent attacks, showed up at the campus earlier this week. They left without incident, but are expected to return at any time. Because of the specific nature of the threats, the local police are providing extra security at the Bible college.

• The Bajrang Dal, along with two other Hindu extremist groups, had a meeting in Haryana. Reports on the outcome of the meeting indicate that the groups are planning a joint effort to attack churches, Christian organizations and Bible colleges throughout the state. Many people have lost their homes and become separated from their families during the rampage.

• On September 22, a Gospel for Asia missionary in Uttar Pradesh was arrested and charged with forcing people to convert to Christianity. He was held in jail for two days before being released.