Nödrop ifrån Indien
Vi har just fått ett nödrop om hjälp från våra kristna vänner i orissa. Trosgnistan har ett arbete som omfattar stora delar av Indien och ca 500 systerförsamlingar. Vi har även flera kyrkor i orissa och militanta hinduiska grupper bränner deras hem, förstör kyrkor och många av dem har tagit sin tillflykt till skogarna för att rädda sina liv. Många saknar nu både kläder, skor, filtar, mat, basvaror och vi har nåtts av ett sos rop om hjälp.
Uppdaterad 2/10
Ett mail som skickades från Jacob Manoharan till vår ledare David Prakasam i Indien
Dear Pastor,
Thank you for your strengthening and encouraging words when I was in Orissa. Please go through the following report and plan to do something for these affected and persecuted ones.
We four of us got at Rayagada railway station, which is 150 kms away from Balliguda where severe persecution, killing, raping, looting and setting fire are taking place all the time. Vasantha, Rajeswari( sister of Vasantha), shanmugam- a boy from our church and I stayed in a hotel and contacted a pastor who was hiding in a forest due to fear.Before hand we went to some places near by and took some photos.
He came in the mid night and we had a counseling on how to set our strategy on meeting our pastors the next morning. He repeatedly refused to take us to the riot hit area. He said some evil may befall us. I encouraged him and convinced. We tried to hire a car but unfortunately nobody came forward boldly for this task. They said it was not advisable to enter that area for lot of murder were reported even at that time too. At last the Lodge owner who himself was a RSS man was able to fix a car. The driver was also a RSS member. We said as tourists to his state we wanted to see the area how it was affected. He took us to the area where the Hindu leader was shot at on 22 august. The whole area was fearful and crowded with army men. There was curfew in effect. Nobody was allowed to get down. Then it was heavily raining too.
All our way we saw burnt houses, scattered household materials such as vessels, cupboards, burnt two wheelers, cars, auto rickshaws etc. The rioters had broken all the houses of Christians, orphanages, prayer halls , schools and so on. Everywhere brutal mobs were roaming.
We collected some pastors and talked with them to console them because they had lost everything except their life. The police did not allow us even to stand for a minute. Then we went to Kurthmargh to meet pastors those who were sheltered in relief camps.
These workers were not happy that I came in that worst situation. They feared about our lives. VHP, Bajrangdal, RSS activists were standing everywhere to check whether something happening against them. These pastors were very familiar and they did not want to stay long in the streets. So I gave an idea to plan for a secret meeting in any unsaved but a friend's house if it could be possible. They were able to choose one. At first they all went and we followed after 10 minutes. We met there and talked, prayed and I passed money to all of them and gave money to those could not make their way to come and meet me also. I urged them to have courage. All of them are fear stricken. They are living in one camp and families in other. Before coming to these camps they were staying in jungles for many days without food, rest, sleep or any hope.
Many of our pastors houses were broken, looted and torched. Some of them have lost their prayer houses. I met a Methodist pastor, Rev. BEEMA RAO whose orphanage of 20 children was attacked and burnt and children are living some where and his prayer house was set on fire. I helped him and encouraged.
When we were there lot of fresh attacks in many places were reported. They told us the following tearful news. Hundreds of believers were killed , burnt alive and sisters stripped off and raped. Even Children bodies were also found in many places.
After meeting them we were urged to leave at once due to uncertain situations.
They said" Pastor why do you risk your life like this. Those enemies are blood thirsty and very cruelly brutal. They will not leave you four if you are found helping us"
We returned and we could see a mob of angry murderers were felling a big tree to block the road. This they were preparing to put across the road to stop Christians escaping themselves for they are going to attack and kill them. We took video coverage from a distance. But when we went near they all stopped our car and checked us and found that we had cameras. They asked many questions. They tried to drag us to get us out of the car. They tried to pluck our camera and barked and asked whether we had covered their tree felling. At last we deleted many coverage including tree felling and requested for our release. Some said ok go some other shouted not to allow us to go. But we made use of opportunity and fled. Oh that was a miracle of God.
The next morning we waited to meet other pastors and tried to visit some relief camps but it was heavily outpouring. Pastors could not get buses after a coverage of distances. So we gave help through other pastors and talked by phone
Now I want to tell you about the real situation of Christian community there. In that particular Khandamal District the Christian population is 80 %. Most of them are very poor tribal. Majority of them are saved souls. They are already living without even two meals a day. Though they are being attacked, gang rapped and burnt they do not fight back for they strongly believe that they have to obey the word of God. So they are trailed for the Holy faith.
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A REPORT ON THE HINDU – CHRISTIAN VIOLENCE IN ORISSA
Orissa continue to simmer
Pastor Pratap Digal comes from a very poor family. He is serving God’s ministry in Indian Pentecostal Assemblies (IPA) for the past one year at Balaskumpa village in Kandhamal District in the state of Orissa. Pastor Pratap Digal is also conducting daughter churches in three villages namely Khajuripada, Linppada and Bicipada with strength of 110 believers. He conducts the Sunday Services in a rental building. Digal is a common surname among Christians in the district.
This anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal which began on Christmas Eve in 2007 has claimed more than 1000 lives, and thousands of others sustained injuries. Hindu radicals also burned more than 2000 houses, and Christian churches and institutions were attacked and destroyed.
The Hindu fanatics continue to threaten Christians in interior villages. The radicals want Christians to convert to Hinduism or leave the area, and they threaten to kill those who do not comply.
Before 20 days, a similar incident also happened with Pastor Pratap Digal when about 50 Hindu radicals thronged at his home and asked about him. His parents told that he had gone outside. Then they threatened his family to change their religion or face consequences. They also told them that they will come at 10 AM next day to talk to Pastor Pratap Digal and they threatened to set the house on fire if he is not present.
The same night, the whole family left the house and went in a forest and took shelter for a week. They struggled a lot without water and food and then moved to the main town in Kandhamal. They arranged a rental house there. Though the house has no electricity connection, they are still living there because of no alternative. They are still fearful because "anything can happen at any time." Pastor Pratap Digal has come to Coimbatore and he is praying fervently for the safety of all the Christians in Orissa.
Over the past decade in Orissa, Christian houses and churches have been set on fire, tribal Christians have been harassed and boycotted, and pastors and others have been killed.
In 1999, Hindu radicals burned alive Australian Protestant missioner Graham Stuart Staines and his two minor sons. The killing of a Catholic priest, Father Arul Doss of Balasore diocese, occurred the same year.
Uppdaterad 15/9
Vi lägger här ut David Prakasams engelska artikel:
A Report on the Persecution in Orissa
Dear friends:
Here is a brief report on the persecution of Christians in Orissa. A Hindu leader along with four of his disciples was killed on August 22nd. What followed the killing has been utterly disturbing, unbelievable and unbearable. The Hindu militants have tried to frame Christians for the murder and to avenge his murder have gone on a rampage killing Christians, burning Churches, homes and orphanages. This has been happening for the past 10 days. This has been the worst antichristian violence in India in years. The government has not been able to do anything to stop this madness. Every day churches are burned and Christians are attacked. What started in a concentrated area is now spreading to different parts of Orissa. The Hindu militants are growing bolder each day and the pastors and Christians live in fear. Many of them have gone into the jungles and forests leaving their possession and houses. More than 40 Christian leaders have been killed, and more than 2000 Christian houses have been burnt up and more than two hundred thousand Christians have fled their houses into forests losing all their belongings and have run for their safety. One orphanage was set on fire and a nun was burnt alive and a handicap man who was not able to run was also burnt alive. The local government continues to support the Hindu militants and they are not giving protection to the Christian community. Thousands are without food and shelter.
In our city we held a protest march in the center of the city and voice our oppositions and asked the govt to intervene. We are also raising financial supports to help the Christians in Orissa to help them to restore them to normalcy with food, clothes and other utensils. We request all our friends to pray for this situation that peace and safety will be there for Christians and if you are able to assist us in helping them, please earmark your funds as Orissa relief fund and send to us. We will see that it reaches them immediately.
We have many churches in Orissa and below are the words on quote by a pastor who we were able to get in touch with.
Pastor David Prakasam,
Bethel city cathedral, Coimbatore, India.
Report by our Pastor Jacob Manohar, from Orissa.