European ambassadors are forbidden entry to the disturbed region in Orissa

The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) warned on Monday of new acts of violence against Christians. Hindu extremists emphasised at the weekend their intention to call out a general strike on 25th December in the federal state of Orissa to disturb the Christian holiday. A delegation of European embassies in New Delhi which had called for special protection for the Christians was refused permission to enter the disturbed zone in the Kandhamal district.

„It is clear that the Indian authorities are themselves not convinced of their reassuring statements on the situation of the Christians”, said the GfbV Asia consultant, Ulrich Delius, „for otherwise they would not have to shut out foreign observers.” Orissa’s Minister of the Interior, Aditya Prasad Padhi, has only allowed the diplomats of Great Britain, Italy, Ireland, Finland and the Netherlands to visit the capital of the federal state and the town of Berhampur. He has assured the delegations that there has been no more violence in Kandhamal district since October.

„More than 10,000 Christians who have fled from pogrom-like attacks by Hindu nationalists since the end of August do not dare to return to their villages for fear of new terror”, reported Delius. „Anybody coming back in spite of this and not converting to Hinduism risks his life.” The 52-year old Bimala Nayak was hacked to death with hatchets on 25th November when she came back from a refugee camp to harvest rice near her village. The 45-year old Lalita Digal, who left a refugee camp on 21st November to return to her village, was also killed.

„In Orissa there is neither freedom of religion nor freedom of speech”, criticised Delius. On 8th December the journalist Lenin Kumar and his two colleagues Ravi Jena and Dhanajay Lenka were arrested because they had in the 80-page book „Bloodshed in Kandhamal in the name of religion” accused Hindu extremists for the violence and provided the names of those responsible. Journalists, writers and human rights workers have protested in vain against the arrests.

Since the murder of a radical Hindu leader on 23rd August 2008 53,000 Christians have been driven out of 315 villages, 151 churches have been destroyed and 4,640 houses belonging to Christians plundered and burned down. About 60 people belonging to the religious minority have been killed. The European Union (EU) has on many occasions in recent weeks expressed its concern over the situation of the Christians in Orissa.