Pressure from abroad shows results: Indian authorities will not tolerate general strike at Christmas

It is with relief that the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) reacted to the announcement of the provincial government of the Indian federal state of Orissa that a general strike planned by Hindu extremists for Christmas Day will not be permitted. „The action of the Orissa government is by no means a guarantee of a peaceful Christmas for the Christians, but it is an important step in stopping the violence against religious minorities”, said the GfbV Asia consultant, Ulrich Delius. Orissa’s government was forced by the Indian central government, foreign governments and NGOs to stop encouraging and tolerating anti-Christian protests.

Orissa’s Prime Minister, Naveen Patnaik, appealed yesterday in a parliamentary debate to Hindu nationalist organisations to refrain from a general strike on 25th December. At the same time he announced that the authorities would not grant permission for any demonstrations at Christmas and that the Kandhamal district would be closed off from 21st December. More than 50,000 Christians have fled their villages since the end of August 2008 from pogrom-like attacks by extremist Hindus.

Hindu nationalists emphasised however yesterday, Monday, that they intended to stick by the planned general strike. On 15th December 2008 their ultimatum to the authorities expired for the arrest and charging of those responsible for the murder of a radical Hindu leader on 23rd August 2008. 18 persons have in all been arrested suspected of murder, the last four on Monday. Among those suspected were three Christians, who were arbitrarily arrested and who after weeks in custody had for lack of evidence to be released, in spite of the fact that torture was used against them.