India Today
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The inside story of the atrocities on Christians in Orissa
| - Sunny Joseph
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This is the inside of India Today. We are hated in the land that we love where atrocities on Christian minority are a daily norm. If one travels through Kandhmal villages it would be hard to believe how could such a vast detestation be done in such a wide geographical area in such a short time and to such a depth that it would take a long time to restore what was destroyed. It is known to us and the nation too has witnessed that these attacks have been around for a long time. If Hindutva legitimates violence as patriotic response, one must wonder where this patriotism would lead to?
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This is the inside of India Today. We are hated in the land that we love where atrocities on Christian minority are a daily norm. If one travels through Kandhmal villages it would be hard to believe how could such a vast detestation be done in such a wide geographical area in such a short time and to such a depth that it would take a long time to restore what was destroyed. It is known to us and the nation too has witnessed that these attacks have been around for a long time. If Hindutva legitimates violence as patriotic response, one must wonder where this patriotism would lead to? Where do we run to...when the law keepers themselves are the law breakers? We were dumb stuck when one of the girl victims, said, “I am not afraid of death. I am frightened by life.” Hundreds of houses burnt and destroyed, hundreds of families displaced, more than hundred Churches destroyed. Remedial measures can take place, relief can be arranged people can be rehabilitated but peace and harmony would be the last things a nation would achieve though they may be the number one on the wish list. The progression of events as they occurred
Mid-December 2007. Kandhmal tribals declare bandh from 24-26th of December 2007. December 3dr week. Christian leaders in the district submit a Memorandum requesting the District Collector to ensure peaceful celebration of Christmas. Assurance granted. Early morning December 24th 2007 when the weekly market was to begin, the local Hindus in Brahminigaon or Bamunigaon objected the setting up of the stalls. This led to the clash between the Hindu and Christian groups. Sometime later the two groups dispersed. The Unleash of the Lethal
Within two hours after the dispersion of the two groups, hundreds of Hindus went berserk on the Christian homes and began the sabotage which culminated in the pulling down of the Christmas tent and stage erected for the Christmas Eve celebrations.
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Towards the evening Laxmanananda Saraswathi a 90 year old local god man wanted to visit Bamunigaon the place where these clashes occurred. His vehicle had to stop due to the crowd gathered for Christmas celebrations that evening in Darsingabadi village on the way to Bamunigaon. When the driver and the security personnel of Laxmanananda Saraswathi behaved rudely and demanded passage, the crowd reacted by pulling away the stick of the security who tried to beat those around the vehicle. Taking this as an excuse Laxmanananda rushed immediately to the nearest hospital in Daringabadi a nearby village and admitted himself in a hospital though there was no proof of any injury to support his claims. He complained that the Christians tried to kill him. When this news was flashed in the Oriya ETV, within hours, thousands of youth sprung up all over the Kandhmal district and attacked as many as 15 villages by swords, guns, sticks, kerosene bombs, tridents and every lethal weapon possible and chased the Christians from their homes and set fire to their homes, property, vehicles and everything found. It is a surprise as to how so many people could simultaneously appear in so many locations and cause such violence and vandalise the villages, churches and the Christian institutions including the livestock. It would surprise any one to watch the precision of the devastation and its sustainability for almost four long days. The local people reported that those involved were non-locals and mostly from the nearby districts who were lying in ambush for the right time to attack.
The Showdown of Hindu Hate Ideology Over Christians
Imagine a riotous mob of 4,000-5,000 armed men come with tridents, swords, axes, guns and every crude and lethal weapon as a flood over the innocent and helpless tribals. Cries went like this, “Stop Christianity. Kill Christians." Loud cries rent the air. "Christians must become Hindu or die. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Gita not Bible. Destroy their faith." Eye witnesses say that the local RSS leaders Bikram Raut and Dhanu Pradhani and others led the mob. They attacked beginning with the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Bamunigan. The attacks began on the Christmas Eve and continued for four days and nights. During these days frightened tribals ran to the nearby forests and stayed there with no food and water. To intensify devastation, the attackers fell trees on the ghat road leading to these villages to stop any external involvement or help. Thus, Kandhmal was cut off from the outside world for 72 hours.
The Aftermath
After an over night journey on the 3rd of February 2007, from Vishakapatnam from where I live, I travelled by road more than 700 km in a span of 3 days into the interiors of the Kandhmal District visiting the families who were victimized. Most of them were living either in the relief camps or in make-shift tents.
The whole machinery of the government, the police and the political parties got together and engineered a well planned onslaught. It was premeditated and preplanned though the whole scenario was made to look like a natural outbreak due to clashes between two communities.
At the spur of a dispute between the Christians and the Hindus concerning the opening of the weekly shandy for Christmas shopping on the 24th December 2007 there began a series of incidents unbelievable to human understanding. One only wonders how thousands of Hindu fanatics could appear simultaneously at the same time in different parts of the Kandhamal district and in just a few days attack nearly 15 villages and raze churches to the ground to a count of more than 105. Over 450 houses were fully destroyed and 320 were partially destroyed in the 10 day carnage. One cannot, but wonder at the precision of the vandalism that took place. The homes, Churches and the Christian institutions were so badly destroyed that it would be difficult to pick up any one piece and restart to rebuild. The death toll so far has reached to seven and the monetary loss not yet estimated.
The first man to fall by the sword of these miscreants was Govinda Naik 60, on the 25th of December 2007 in Barakhama village. He was chased and hit with an axe and when he did not die, a big stone was thrown to smash his head. His dead body was lying outside the village until the day next. Though the police knew this no action was taken, no FIR (First Information Report) was filed and no postmortem was carried. In many parts of the district, men and children were chased and when tried to escape they were either sliced with swords or speared with javelins. Vijay Senapathi of Brahmangaon was hit hard on his head with a sword, Avinash Naik age 14 received bullet shots in his abdomen. When trying to escape, Estha Digal age 12 years was thrown into a well 12 feet deep. Further, read this irony. Catholic institutions are known for their unselfish and sacrificial services. Yet, their institutions, Churches, property, vehicles, furniture, livestock etc., were utterly destroyed and set on fire. The Catholic priests were chased and their nuns were manhandled. One incidence, when Carmel Convent in Balliguda village was set on fire and was burning, employees from the nearest Fire Station that stood in a distance of 300 yards refused to come and put off the fire. I can go on narrating all what I saw in volumes and these stories can go on and on. Dr. John Dayal writes, "Hate so deep and pungent does not augur well for the country, and of course, poses an immediate threat to the ideals of secularism and freedom of faith the right to life and the right to dignity enshrined in the Constitution of India."
Much of the information to the outside world has been suppressed by the media and the news channels. Rumours are that the media was bribed. There is an untold story that deserves a retelling over and over. This spread of the hate ideology has been in Orissa over the decades and not much comes to the reading of the general public. The media reported just forty to fifty churches as destroyed. This is a lie and a blatant one. The reported number of homes was not beyond 100 or more. But there were nearly 400 families that were displaced The government claims to have restored peace and harmony in the District. My visit to the relief camps revealed otherwise. If the law and order was in place, why did it take the Chief Minister to wait till February 3 2008, to arrange a visit for the Catholic Bishop. Dr. Raphael Cheenath with two truck loads of security and a Sumo full of media personnel in spite of his repeated requests since 28th December 2007? Why does the police still hang around in the Government organized relief camps outside the villages for these displaced families? Why is there a security check on every one visiting these villages? Why is relief work illegal by the NGOs, Churches and individuals to these destitutes? Many many refugees complained, they are being fed with food which even the dogs do not eat. Over and above this, the Hindu volunteers constantly taunt the women and the young girls with vulgar language while all the campers live under a constant threat of being beaten anytime they go out in the open alone or to attend the nature's call.
It is a wonder how the government and the law are so callous and indifferent to these innocent tribals. Further, the government has made any relief to these victims illegal which is contrary to the Indian Constitution.
Though the debris is clean swept, and the ash is removed, the diabolic hatred still burns among these rioters. And there is no guarantee that Orissa would not burn again. It did a few years ago when an Australian missionary Dr. Graham Stuart Steins and his two sons, Philip and Timothy were burnt alive while sleeping in their medical van.
We know that vengeance belongs to the Lord. And thus we end the issue here. But that does not stop us here. The call is for a united and concentrated prayer for both the attacked and for the attackers and the arsonalists that one day would know the Lord as Saul of Tarsus and turn to Christ.
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Christians Attacked Again
Why Silence is our weakness
The persecution on Christians for centuries had been the bloodiest of bloodsheds in history. In every century and every nation, Christians survived the worst of persecutions. The Romans enjoyed when Christian men, women and even children were burnt alive as torches to illumine their night sports. Such atrocities are still continuing. The wounds of persecution on Christians are fresh, red and are bleeding. Christians carry on their lives the marks of living crucifixion in the fashion of their Master who first painted red the pathway from Jerusalem to Golgotha with His own precious blood, and taught, “deny thy self, take up the cross and follow Me.”
The story will continue until the Master returns to receive His own. But until then, every true Christian has one mission - to spread the message of love, even at the cost of bleeding to death. Every preaching Christian knows he/she will die, but in dying they will leave a message and prove that until a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it will not bear much life. If Christian persecution can mean the salvation of a few fellow human beings, they will not deter, they will not stop…they will die but will preach Jesus and die...Every persecution results in the starting of a Church, and every martyr will produce a multitude of Churches…
Why are we targeted, Yes, why are we? The answer is simple and everyone knows it. Christians do not strike back. This is the heritage we have been carrying since Jesus first taught the Church to respond otherwise; to show the left cheek when slapped on the right cheek. Father Donald D’Souza, Secretary General, Catholic Bishops Conference, India, once said, “The softest target are the Christians because we don’t hit back. Recently, when there was a bomb in a mosque in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, within 24 hours, 40 buses were damaged. See, the immediate retaliation in other communities. But we were never known to be violent. So they thought let’s try our luck with these people.”
Indeed Christians are soft targets for the attackers. Given a situation like the tsunami tragedy, the Lathur earth quake or Bhuj earth quake, and Orissa killer storm, Christians and the Church were ready to show up for rescuing and relief work. Why? We are taught and trained that way, but for violence and riots? No. The attacks on other communities is comparatively less because they retaliate. Syed Shahabuddin, Convener of Babri Masjid Movement Coordination Committee, once said, “Let the VHP declare a date for the construction of the Temple and all hell will break lose.”
The truth of the matter is, the silence of the Christians is taken as weakness. If we read through the pages of history it would be much clear that the Church triumphed through the worst of persecutions outlived its persecutors. Great oppressors like the Romans and in the recent past the Communists in Russia known as the Iron Curtain have long gone but the Church lives through and lives more vibrantly.
Contrary to the opinion of the attackers, that Gladys Staines and her daughter Esther would flee the country after her husband and sons were killed, she stayed back to serve the same people who killed her own. (Gladys is the wife of the Australian missionary, Graham Steins, who was burnt alive along with his two sons Tim and Phillip in January 1999, in Orissa, India). And there are hundreds and hundreds of such stories like Gladys where Christians served the very people that killed their dear ones. This is the message the Church had lived through the centuries to preach in words and in deeds.
Every Christian believes that his/her journey on this earth is a pilgrimage from birth to death. Every Christian lives in a hope to be in Heaven with God for eternity after death. This is the glorious hope that only Christians lives in. That is why for Christians’ death is more a door through which we enter eternal life. While on this journey, all Christians are exhorted to tell as many as possible, the message of salvation so all who come to Christ can live in heaven after death; failing which those who do not believe and receive Christ would be in eternal hell fire – for ever and ever. It is this desperate passion for our fellow human beings that they should be in heaven with God and not in hell that a Christian lives to share the message of eternal hope. This is the sole purpose a Christian believes that he/she is living for. Apostle Paul too writes, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Phil 1:21(NIV)
If this is the Christian purpose of existence - to preach and to win as many as possible for the Kingdom of God, if this is the cause Christians are taught to live for and die for, could a sword, a spear, a gun or the gallows quench the passion? No. Since this truth runs through the very blood stream of Christianity, Christians stand unafraid in the face of persecution and DO NOT RETALIATE NOR RETREAT. On the contrary they do what their Master taught them to do when He prayed in the thick of bloodshed, on the cross, when people whom He loved were killing Him, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
If Jesus' killers took His silence as weakness, it was their loss, for in such a surrender He conquered the world. His persecutors unfortunately had not known one mystery, which Jesus taught, that when a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it brings to life a whole lot of a harvest. Jesus further taught, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. This teaching of Christ is the essence, the message and the passion that breathes life to display love and forgiveness even in the thick of persecution.
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In a country where our good neighbors are staunch believers in their own religion, how can Christians witness vigorously and still stay unbeaten? How can we be what Augustine called, “ the best citizens,” and share Christ and stay unbeaten? When Christians are beaten, does it mean that they have turned ‘bad citizens…?’ How do we respond to such hostility? Where does the buck stop?
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.
Eccl 5:8 (KJV)
Gladys Staines, the wife of Dr. Graham StainesI would rather ask for the lives of her husband and her two sons than the Padma Shri Award conferred on her by the Indian Government. The joy of being a happy family of five in an obscure village in Orissa is incomparable to the pomp and glory of a prestigious national award. But this would be Gladys' desire, humanly speaking. Since the choice was not hers to makw, God did what seemed good for the family of Staines and His Kingdom. They were killed, and brutally killed. The fruit of it can only be seen at a later period in eternity - in heavenly and eternal rewards.
Christian story is one full life of death, cross and blood. Yes, bloody indeed. Jesus never spoke on the security of His followers from the worldly persecution. He only promised a safe passage not a comfortable one. Nothing is born without the dying pains of a living mother bearing each moment the birth pangs.
My proposition has two suggestions suggested by Charles Colson. He suggests. ''We must avoid two traps. First, we must not privatise our faith by withdrawing from the public arena altogether. Of what earthly good is the Kingdom of God then? Second, we must not politicise our faith; not marry the values of the kingdom to some political agenda. Both of these traps are equally dangerous; neither has anything to do with historic Christianity and the lordship of Jesus Christ."
It is an aberration for enthusiastic Christians to think that a pro-Christian government in a nation would assure protection to the Christians. In such a case, I am afraid what the definition of ‘protection,’ to such thinkers is? To understand this, Nebuchadnezzar is a classic example of ironical characters. He destroyed the Jewish Temple and later when convinced, believed the Jewish God, though as one among other gods that he already believed. Yet, we understand it was God who raised up the Babylonian Empire for His purpose. Consider Pharaoh in the Bible. We read in Exodus, that it was God who ‘hardened the heart of Pharaoh.” This must better give us the picture that we are not victims to such violence but heroes of faith. For the Bible says that when we pass through such thick trials we come out more precious as gold. And God does fulfill His plan. We may not see them from the nearest perspective, but in terms of eternity, which we are called to watch things from such a perspective, a Christian’s life carries more meaning and purpose.
We must ever understand that the State is the institution set up by God and the government is the ordinance of God. Both are entities set up by God to rule and to govern His people while promoting social, legal and political order and equality. Jesus told Pilate that it was God who ordained his power, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. John 19:11 (NIV). Paul and Peter used such language in their epistles. They were fully conscious that their lives and times were in the hands of God than at the mercy of the earthly rulers. No one touches a child of God unless permitted by God. This is the bigger picture we carry in our hearts and in our spirits and so we look low and stay lose on the earth for we are people of another city heading for an eternal citizenship. As Christians with such a bright and a glorious hope, we become better citizen of the present land while living for the future. But while we are home bound we carry home as many as we can.
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