Violence in East India

[Flintlock]

Kandhmal has a history of communal flare-ups
28 Aug 2008, 0236 hrs IST, Sandeep Mishra,TNN


BHUBANESWAR: Caught in the vortex of conversion and reconversion, Kandhmal's agony is manifold. Like most other tribal-dominated districts, this southern Orissa district, too, grapples with poverty, deprivation, illiteracy and malnutrition. But what is most disturbing is the increasing ethnic and communal schism that has turned it into a tinderbox. Political one-upmanship and entry of Maoists have only made the matters worse.

Simmering since long, Kandhmal experiencing communal conflagrations as is being witnessed now or was seen last December isn’t surprising at all. In fact, communal violence was waiting to happen. And at the genesis of this condition lies the divide between the tribal Kandhs and Panas (an SC community) in the district. What was more a competition for economic resources, especially land, between the two major communities over a century back, has with time assumed religious dimensions, thanks to Christian missionaries and Sangh Parivar outfits.

Over the years, a large number of Panas has embraced Christianity, while a significant mass of Kandhs has entered the Hindufold. And taking advantage of the religious polarization, the missionaries and the Sangh Parivar have in the last few decades been playing, overtly as well as covertly, the politics of proselytisation. If the Christians convert, the saffron brigade reconverts. And the battle for supremacy continues, making the ST/SC populace mere pawns in the endgame.

While Kandhmal (formerly Phulbani district) has been split along ethnic lines for decades, the problem took a turn for the worse in the early nineties. "The ST central list was amended with enlistment of three more groups — Kui, Kuvi, Kuee — as ST, in addition to the original Kandh. A lot of Panas also speak Kui language and they, too, started demanding ST status. This was a well-calculated demand as ST status would entail government benefits even for those Panas who have embraced Christianity," says a researcher.

Expectedly, this wasn't acceptable to the Kandhs who feared that the Panas would corner the benefits. As such Kandhs had for long been accusing Panas of fraudulently taking away their land. Matters turned ugly when delimitation of constituencies changed Khandmal Lok Sabha seat’s reserved status from SC to ST. And the Panas resumed their demand for tribal tag, providing vested interest groups with perfect ammunition to ignite communal fire.

The stakes of both hardline Christians and Hindus are high, because a quarter of the 6.5-lakh people in the district believe in Jesus Christ, forcing the missionaries to work overtime to protect their interests, and on the other hand, Hindutva supporters see Kandhmal as a major centre for homecoming of tribals.

Kandhmal has a history of communal flare-ups-India-The Times of India

 

[Flintlock]

ah iam a journalist not terrorist from VHP., RSS

The activities of conversion and re-conversion need not any agreement till the time it is not forced.

IF you are interested in slandering, then don't bother.

But if you are interested in knowing the real situation, read the article posted by me in the other thread on this topic.

 

[Flintlock]

So basically, its the newest reincarnation of a long ethnic conflict between two tribes.

Let us not fool ourselves: The Indian State is helping in calming the situation, not inflaming it.

Any potshots at Indian Secularism are simply dishonest slander.

 

[Spring Onion]

Tell me Kandhas and Panas were Hindus or not????

 

[Flintlock]

Tell me Kandhas and Panas were Hindus or not????

They are tribals, who may or may not be classified as hindus depending on how you define hinduism.

They don't worship any mainstream hindu gods, and have their own tribal rituals.

 

[dr.umer]

You don't even live in Pakistan. Not surprising.

Do you know better or i know? Rubbish comment

 

[Flintlock]

Do you know better or i know? Rubbish comment

I know better.

 

[dr.umer]

Let us not fool ourselves: The Indian State is helping in calming the situation, not inflaming it.

Trying to help? Cut the crap.

 

[dr.umer]

I know better.

Stop crying. Come logically.

 

[Flintlock]

Stop crying. Come logically.

But I do know better.

 

[dr.umer]

Duh!!

Because you are a majority there?

If everybody had Jinnah's way... the world would be one big tribal orgy.

What ever the case, Jinnah has certainly saved many lives to be lost by the hands of fanatic hindus and most importantly not only Muslim lives, but also lives of people belonging to different religions. Till today, no such violence has ever been reported in Pakistan. On the other hand so called secular india has a pathetic track record!!!

 

[Flintlock]

Tribal orgy or a seprate country does not matter when one's life is safe & protected from hindu fanatics.

Your posts don't make any sense. Sorry. Did you bother to read what you just typed?

 

[dr.umer]

Ugly Face of Secular India ​

ORISSA ANTI-CHRISTIAN VIOLENT INCIDENTS LIST ​

We are working to independently verify each of these incidents and will update this list as we gather more information. We are analysing media reports as well as numerous emails and phone calls from Christians in Orissa telling about horrible violence. We are also monitoring lists of recorded attacks from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India and the Evangelical Fellowship of India. On Aug. 28, we reorganised the list by date. If you have a confirmed incident to report, please Contact Us.

24th - Rupa, Kandhamal district: Rasananda Pradhan, was burnt to death when his house was set ablaze.

24th - Balliguda: Lynch mobs at the block headquarters of Balliguda, in the very heart of Kandhamal district, attacked and destroyed a Presbytery, convent and hostel damaging the properties.

24th – Nuagaon, Kandhamal: A young Catholic Nun of the Cuttack Bhubaneswar diocese working at Jan Vikas Kendra, the Social Service Centre at Nuagaon in Kandhamal, was gang raped by groups of Hindutva extremists before the building itself was destroyed.

24th – Kandhamal: A mob attacked, ransacked the Jan Vikas Kendra office, and set fire to three four wheelers, six motor cycles, all the important records and documentation of the organisation, and office equipment. This incident took place at 5.30 in the evening.

24th – Baliguda: Divya Jyoti Pastoral Centre destroyed by gutting, burning, and looting the facility at about 6 p.m. The same group entered the Baliguda presbytery, convent, and hostel and damaged the properties.

24th – Kanjamedi, Kandhamal: Roman Catholic Church was attacked and vandalized at 6.30 p.m.

24th – Kanjamedi: The Diocesan Church was ransacked and three Pentecostals churches were destroyed in the same way at 6.45 p.m. by the same group.

24th - Malkangiri, Padua: Lutheran Churches were destroyed. Fathers and Sisters along with the children in Gumuda left the mission stations fearing attacks. As the congregation was coming out of the Church in Malkangiri, a group of angry youth harassed them and forced them to recite Bande Mataram. 22 Christian families of Shanti Nagar (Givindapur) at the foothill of Taptapani Hot Springs were also assaulted and forced to leave the village.

24th – Raikia: In the late evening, about 12 Dalit Christian shops were burnt.

25th - Sankrakhole: Late night, the Convent of St. Joseph's was attacked and ransacked. The sisters also left to the forest and have saved their lives.

25th – Tikabali: Mr. Abenswar Digal's house was set on fire, under Tikabali Police station.

25th – Gumagarh: At about 11.00 p.m., 23 houses of Gumagarh, under Bisipadsad Police station were attacked and ransacked.

25th – Phulbani: Church and presbytery were vandalized and ransacked.

25th – Phulbani: Srasanda MC brother's residence was attacked and the patients who came there to get treatment were beaten.

25th - Phulbani: The VHP activists continued to burn houses and household articles of Christian families in the area. Eight houses were completely destroyed in this incident.

25th – Balliguda: Houses of Christian families in Christiansahi were destroyed and ransacked.

25th – Nuasahi: Houses were set on fire destroying the whole street where Christian families lived. This incident took place at 11.30 a.m.

25th – Balliguda: Two boys studying in the church run hostel were caught in Baliguda and their heads were tonsured (shaved).

25th - Mr. Jamaj Parichha's house was attacked and his vehicles were set ablaze, doors were cut into pieces, and he was beaten by the mob. He sustained a severe head injury and is hospitalised (place is not disclosed because of the security reasons)

25th – Phutpali, Bargarh district: A woman inmate of an orphanage was burnt alive and an orphanage was torched during a bandh called by the VHP and its allies. Twenty children, who were at the orphanage, managed to escape but a priest suffered serious burn injuries in the attack.

25th - Raikia: Rev. Abhiram Singh and leaders of Good Shepherd Community Church, fled to forest for survival of his life. Wife and two kids are in another town with fear and trembling.

25th - Raikia: Dalit Education Center, a school run by Operation Mercy Charitable Company, was burned in evening

25th - Kandhamal district: Churches were attacked in Khurda, Bargarh, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Koraput, Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur and Kandhamal districts as also in the state capital, police sources said, adding 40 houses were set ablaze in Phulbani town.

25th - Bhubaneswar: Violent mobs made several attempts to enter the compounds of Catholic Church and Archbishop's house in the heart of the Capital of the State of Orissa. They could not enter because of the police presence. They threw stones at the guesthouse of Archbishop's House, damaging windows.

25th - Phulbani: The Church at Phulbani,and several other churches at Piangia were attacked and ransacked. Pastor D. Tatson's house was vandalized and his property burnt.

25th – Budamaha, Raikia: The Pentecostal church under Raikia Police station was vandalized and ransacked.

25th – Masadkia: A church was vandalized and ransacked.

25th - Two Pentecostal churches were vandalized and ransacked.

25th - Raikia: Pisermaha Church, under Raikia Police station was vandalized and ransacked.

25th – Mondakia: A Baptist church and Catholic Churches under Raikia Police station was vandalized and ransacked.

25th – Raikia: Mdahupanga Church, under Raikia Police station was vandalized and ransacked.

25th - Phulbani: Followers of the late Lakshmanananda Saraswati damaged the Catholic Church in the district headquarter town.

25th – Phulbani: Church and presbytery were vandalized and ransacked. Srasanda MC Brother's residence was attacked and the patients who came there to get treatment were beaten. The VHP activists continued to burn houses and household articles of Christian families in the area. Eight houses were completely destroyed in this incident.

25th – Padampur, Bargarh: Fr. Edward Sequira was attacked and beaten brutally. He survived with a serious head injury but is still unconscious.

25th – Govindapally, Boipariguda: Protestors entered the Convent and damaged the grotto of Our Lady and the Cross of the Church yard.

25th – Boipariguda: Mr. Routo Desinayak and Ms. Kalyani, who works for an agro-entrepreneurship program for SWAD at Boipariguda were also arrested under the Forest Protection Act. Although the Police Officer and the Block Development Officer were not willing, the mob forced the police to tie Mr. Desinayak with a rope and drag him through the street to the Forest Offic

25th – Boipariguda: Father Joy Areeckal had to run into the forest and the hostel children and his social workers were subjected to insults and intimidation. The Mission has been destroyed along with all that it contained. A sad twist to the story is that the police, along with the people, seized wooden planks and said it was illegally harvested trees.

26th - Bakingia: A Seventh Day Adventist pastor, Samuel Nayak (55), was killed by a mob with knives while trying to get save possessions from his house. He had already moved his wife and two children into the forest.

26th - Barakhama: A police camp was also attacked by the Hindu fundamentalists. With several houses being burnt down and people being made homeless, many Christians, particularly from Nua Sahi, Munda Sahi and Suna Tonga have fled into forests for their lives.

26th – Badimunda: Roman Catholic Church and 5 individual houses were set on fire.

26th - Mandakia: A Pentacostal pastor, Akbar Nayak (41), was killed by a mob of about 100 people with knives while trying to get save possessions from his house. He had already moved his wife and two children into the forest.


ATTACKS WITHOUT DATES

(we are still working to verify more details about these reliable, but unconfirmed reports)

Kanjimendi: Fr Thomas, director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Kanjimendi, less than a kilometer away from the Social Service Centre, and another Nun were injured when the centre was attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveled state as the armed mob bayed for their blood. The Pastoral centre was then set afire.

Balliguda: The mobs in Balliguda caught hold of two boys of the Catholic hostel and tonsured their heads.

Srasanada: Mobs attacked the Mother Teresa Brothers' residence and hospital in Srasanada, destroyed once before and rebuilt two months ago, and beat up the patients.

Akamra Jila, Bhubaneswar: A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila in Bhubaneswar is damaged.

Boudh: Fundamentalists enter the Catholic parish church and destroy property.

Muniguda: Catholic Fathers and Nuns' residence have been damaged.

Sambalpur: HM Sister's residence (Ainthapalli) has suffered damage.

Padanpur: One priest is attacked and admitted to a hospital. Hostel boys and the in charge have moved away from the place.

Madhupur: Catholic Church attacked.

Phulbani: Attempted violence on small churches in various districts, including Padampur, Sambalpur near GM College, Talsera, Dangsoroda, Narayanipatara, Muniguda, Tummiibandh, Tangrapada, Phulbani, Balliguda, Kalingia, Chakapad, Srasanranda.

Balliguda: Houses attacked on forest hamlets of Balliguda, Kanjamandi Nuaguam (K.Nuaguam), Tiangia (G.Udayagiri), Padangiri, Tikabali.

Kalahandi: Houses burnt even though the district is more than 300 kilometers from the place where Swami Lakshmanananda was killed.

Bhawanipatna: Pastor Sikandar Singh of the Pentecostal Mission beaten up and his house burnt in Bhawanipatna.

Kharihar: 3 Christian shops were looted and burnt. Pastor Alok Das and Pastor I M Senapati beaten up.

Aampani: Pastor David Diamond Pahar, Pastor Pravin Ship, Pastor Pradhan and Pastor Barik beaten up and chased away with their families.

Naktikani: Mob surrounds village to attack Christians.

Raikia: village evacuted, whole village fled to forest for survival

Gee Udaigiri, Baliguda: Mr. Mishra Digal was beaten up, while the motorcycles of Mr. R. K. Digal and Jitendra were burnt. Several buses at Gee Udaigiri in Baliguda were burnt.

Kakriguma: Churches have been targeted by the mob that reportedly damaged the Assembly Of God Church and the Philadelphia Church.

 

[dr.umer]

Your posts don't make any sense. Sorry. Did you bother to read what you just typed?

I thought you knew better

 

[Flintlock]

I thought you knew better

Why are you trolling? Read your posts and correct them.