Chennai leaders express solidarity with fresh victims of Orissa violence

On Wednesday, January 2, 2008, the All India Christian Council (AICC) led a rally in Chennai to protest the anti–Christian violence in Orissa.

Including Dalit and Muslim leaders, several civil society leaders, expressed solidarity with the victims.

AICC meanwhile alleged that violence resumed overnight including attacks on at least two Christian villages and the estimated death toll increased.

The rally held in Chennai included about 1000 leaders from both Christian and non–Christian organisations.

Pastor Titus Kumar of Vision for Orissa gave an eye–witness report with video footage of the destruction and havoc caused by extremists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Other speakers included : Dr. Joseph D’souza, AICC President ; Rev. K.B. Edison, AICC Tamil Nadu chapter President ; Bishop Ezra Sargunam, Evangelical Church of India ; and Mr. Umar Farooque, the Islamic Federation for Change.

“Although the government and media are saying the attacks on Christians have stopped, rural pastors with mobile phones contacted us in the last few hours with news of fresh attacks. We are devastated to report that there were at least two attacks last night,” said Dr. D’souza.

“As I talk with Christians in Orissa, it is clear the death toll has been underestimated. We have reliable but unconfirmed reports of up to 70 Christians killed or missing and presumed dead.”

Meanwhile, independent fact finding teams have been blocked from entering affected areas. The federal government has only dispatched a handful of troops, reportedly because the Orissa government is not requesting assistance, explained AICC.

AICC leaders in New Delhi were told the National Commission for Minorities scheduled a team to arrive on Jan. 8, 2008, and the National Human Rights Commission is deputing a team as soon as possible.

“The Orissa police and politicians seem focused on blaming Christians or Naxals for the violence. We anticipate the findings of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil. We implore authorities to act now and save innocent lives instead of assigning blame. We condemn any violence – whether done by Hindus or by Christians. But the world must know that, contrary to media reports, there is no evidence that Christians attacked Hindus — including Swami Saraswati,” said Sam Paul, AICC Secretary of Public Affairs.

Reports collected by the AICC as of Dec. 30, 2007, indicated 65 churches burned down, 600 Christian homes destroyed, hundreds of Christians forced to flee into forests to save their lives, and thousands homeless.

On January 10, 2008, AICC and the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations will hold a protest rally in Bubhaneshwar, Orissa.