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Christianity Today, March, 2008 |

Premeditated Mobs

Hindu extremists exploit economic fears to launch attacks on Christians.

Vishal Arora, Compass Direct | posted 2/15/2008 07:28AM

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Observers and Christian leaders say India's largest incident of sustained anti-Christian violence, which rendered thousands homeless in Orissa State, was preplanned.

The violence began on Christmas Eve, with an attack on a Catholic church in Brahmani village, and continued until January 2. Christian leaders told the National Human Rights Commission that 9 people had been killed, close to 90 churches burned, about 600 houses torched or vandalized, and thousands displaced.

Three months before the series of attacks, a newspaper had warned that tensions were brewing between the Christian and non-Christian tribal communities over governmental affirmative-action benefits. During Christmas week, local Christians had urged district authorities to provide police protection. Their pleas went unheeded.

Christians make up an estimated 16 percent of the 650,000 people in Kandhamal district. More than 60 percent of them belong to the Pana community and are classified as "Scheduled Castes," better known as Dalits (formerly "Untouchables"). Their demand for recognition as a tribal community is opposed by the largely Hindu Kui people, as it would increase the number of candidates eligible for government-reserved jobs.

With elections due in 10 other states this year and a general election scheduled for 2009, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to use religion-related issues to polarize voters. This tactic, Christians fear, could increase the incidence of anti-Christian violence.

The Orissa State government transferred both the district collector and the police superintendent for failing to prevent the violence. Orissa's population of 36 million includes fewer than 900,000 Christians.

Related Elsewhere:

Our coverage of the Orissa riots includes:

India's Burning Issue | Conversions in Orissa—and the violent reaction against them—highlight tension in India's not-so-dead caste system. (January 10, 2008)

CT Liveblog: Hindus and Christians Clash in India | Violence that began on Christmas Eve now in its fifth day. (December 28, 2007)

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March 2008, Vol. 52, No. 3

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Nandalal Alley

Posted: February 24, 2008 4:38 AM

Arora's report accurately sums up the persecutions and violence perpetrated against Christian community in Orissa as these have become common knowledge in India through media reports as well as eye-witness accounts of concerned Christians. What is disturbing is the slow reaction and inadequate and efforts on the part of the State government and the Central government in identifying and booking the culprits as per the law and taking effective preventive measures. Fear of anti-Christian violence in Orissa and other parts of India by politically motivated people is always present. Christians in India, however, must not be discouraged. We must be ready to suffer for Christ and win our neighbours with love.

EP	Posted: February 22, 2008 2:59 PM

I agree with you concerning Headlines Sealed. Most Indians that I've met are very nice people, But environment and government can take it's tole on any soul. The Indian government obviously can't act in a responsible way and accept people for who they are. If they're indeed baiting a vote then it can't be considered in any other way but to be intolerant and unresponsive, therefore taking an easy way out with their Caste system. It's pretty obvious why most Indians with a degree want to leave India and come to the United States where religous freedom is mostly sacred. You will never hear of a Christian society this day clamping down and killing Hindu believers. There are isolated incidences everywhere in the world, but to compartmentalize Christianity into a Governmental system just picks on a peaceful people. Christ teaches us to LOVE the lord our God and LOVE our neighbors. Tolerance and Love. May we pray for these people to find a peaceful solution with Jesus.

Sealed

Posted: February 18, 2008 8:36 AM

I don't have as much of a problem with the article as the Headline. If some individuals claiming to be Christians, but obviously not acting in a Christ-like manner, killed nine people, I would be offended if someone called them a "Christian extremist." They are extremist, they are murders, they are terrorist,...... there are many words that would fit, but they are not Christian. We need to stop labeling the world view and talk specifically about the crime. The headlines do just the opposite. The crimes are rioting, violence and murder aimed at Christian groups, performed by individuals. They may have been hiding behind a religious name, but they didn't represent that religion. I don't believe the principles of Hinduism would condone these actions.