ORISSA PERSECUTION : FACT FINDING REPORT
UPDATED AS ON October 21, 2008
Following is the information that Evangelical Fellowship of India has gathered concerning Violence against the Christians in Orissa.
It has to be noted that this information is not yet completed since the sporadic incidents of attacks of communal hatred are still pouring from Orissa in and the same is being processed and verified.
A. Number of Districts affected: 14
1. Baudh
2. Bhadrak
3. Bargarh
4. Cuttack
5. Gajapati
6. Ganjam
7. Koraput
8. Kandhmal
9. Kalahandi
10. Naupada
11. Narbarangapur
12. Nayagarh
13. Sambalpur
14. Rayagada
B. Number of People Affected:
It is estimated that over 50,000 people have been rendered homeless due to the violence. Around 15,000 people are in the relief camps at Chakapada, Tikabali, G. Udaygiri, Raikia, Baliguda, K.Nuagoan and Phiringia. Many others continue to hide in the forest and elsewhere.
C. Number of Schools and Colleges Affected: 14
Kandhamal district
1. Mt. Carmel school was attacked in Balliguda
2. St. Anne's Convent attacked in Padangi
3. St. Joseph Convent attacked in Sankharkhole
4. St. Anne's Convent attacked in Pobinga
5. Mission Hostel in Mangapanga
6. Children home in G. Udaygiri
Koraput
7. B D College vandalized Jeypore
8. Emmanuel school, Jeypore
Rayagada
9. Schools and hostel
Ganjam
10. De Paul School Berhampur
Bargarh
11. School & hostel Madhupur
Khurdha
12. William Carey School in Jatni
Bhubaneswar
13. Loyola School
14. St. Arnold school
D. Number of NGO attacked : 4
Kalahandi
1. World Vision
Bhadrak
2. Discipleship Centre's
Bhubaneswar
3. Action Ministries office ransacked in Bhubaneswar
4. Compassion East India attacked in Bhubaneswar
E. Number of Deaths (Identified = 51 ; Unidentified = 7)
Kandhamal district
1. Surendra Naik
2. Meri Digal
3. Sidheswar Digal Sulesaru village
4. Pastor Akbhar Digal Sulisoru (Burb)
5. Jaka Naik
6. Gapana Nayak
7. Sadananda Pradhan
8. Anthou Digal
9. Parikhita Nayak
10. Pastor Gayadhar Digal
11. Michel Naik
12. Pastor Daniel Naik
13. Unidentified in a village called Digi ,Raikia,
14. Unidentified in a village called Digi ,Raikia
15. Unidentified in a village called Digi ,Raikia
16. Unidentified in a village called Digi ,Raikia
17. Unidentified in a village called Digi ,Raikia
18. Unidentified in a village called Digi ,Raikia
19. Daniel Naik in Raika
20. Michael Naik in Raika,
21. Rasananda Pradhan
22. Mishra Digal
23. Ramesh Digal
24. Gullu
25. Trinath Digal
26. Prafulla Nayak
27. Ajuba Naik
28. Akbar Digal Totomaha
29. Dasarath Pradhan Tiangia
30. Dinabandhu Pradhan Limungia
31. Gopan Nayak, Mondakia
32. Janamati Nayak, Bakingia
33. Jecob Digal,Petapanga
34. Kamolini Nayak, Mondakia
35. Khogeswar Pradhan
36. Pastor Samuel Nayak, Bakinga
37. Mathew Nayak, Sarangada
38. Sureshon Nayak
39. Sideshwar Digal, Sisapanga
40. Sibindra Pradhan, Sulisoru
41. Nanamati Nayak Bakingia
42. Nabaghana nayak
43. Bastina Mantry
44. Kumud Bardhan
45. Mathew Nayak
46. Purander Mallick, Nilugna village, G-Udaygiri
47. Ishwar Digal
48. Bikram Naik (38)
49. Dasaratha Pradhan
50. Bidyadhar Digal
51. Unidentified in a village called Digi ,Raikia
52. Priyatamma Diga(45), Bisipada village
53. Meghanath Digal, Bisipada village
54. Sister Mable
Bargarh district
55. Rajini Majhi in Bargarh
56. Pastor Dibya sunder Digal
57. Unidentified Pastor's Padmapur
Nawarangapur district
58. Unidentified
Gajapati district
59. Mukunda Burdhan
Nayagarh district
60. Abhimonyu Nayak, Barapalli
F. Number of Churches attacked, destroyed / damaged = 50
Kandhamal district
1. Church, Balliguda
2. Church, Kalisiguda
3. Church, Sinaguda
4. Church, Arangamala
5. Church, Gumupadar
6. Church, Masakapanga
7. 55 Parish churches
8. Catholic church, Phulbani
9. GFA church
10. Church, Mandasara
11. Seventh Day Adventist Campus Bhramanigaon
12. A Catholic church attacked in Phulbani
13. Baptist church
14. Church in Raika
Bargarh district
15. Churches burnt down in Chichida
16. Diocesan Pastoral Centre Kanjimendi
17. Madhupur Catholic Church attacked
18. Church Padmapur
Koraput district
19. Church in Pottangi
20. Church Jeypore
21. JEL church Jeypore
22. Churches destroyed Baipariguda, Jeypore
23. 6 churches In Baipariguda
24. New life Power Gospel Fellowship church in Punda village
25. Bible Mission Jeypore
26. Oriya Missionary Movement (OMM) Church Jeypore
27. Assembly of God, Kakriguma
28. Philadelhia Church Kakriguma
29. Church attacked in Jeypore
30. Bible Mission Jeypore
31. Church in Bhajiguda
32. Church in Koraput
33. Church burnt Nokera under Kundra PS
34. JELC church Pandkamari under Kundra PS
35. OMM Church attacked Jeypore
36. Church in Daulagaon
37. Church in Kodulipadar
38. Church in Nilabari
39. Lutheran Church Narayanpatna
Dhenkanal district
40. Church destroyed
Bhubaneswar capital
41. Archbishop's house
42. A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila
Sambalpur District
43. A Pentecostal church
Nabarangapur district
44. OMM Church attacked in Phupugam
45. Brethren Church in Bhimaguda
Boudh district
46. Church destroyed Jamtangi
Rayagada district
47. Church destroyed
Ganjam district
48. Church attacked
Bolangir district
49. CNI Church Murshingaon
Cuttuck district
50. Church in Bidanasi
G. Number of Pastors, Priests and Nuns assaulted - 14
Kandhmal district
1. Mina Barua Nuagaon
2. Rev. Thomas Chellen
Khurda district
3. Pastor Jeebaratna Lima
Bargarh district
4. Father Edward Sequrea Padampur
Koraput district
5. Rev. U.C Patnayak of the Orissa Missionary Movement , Jeypore
6. A Blessing Youth Mission Pastor Ramgiri , Jeypore
Kalahandi district
7. Pastor Sikander Singh Bhawanipatna
8. Pastor David Diamond Pahar,
9. Pastor Pravin Ship, Aampani
10. Pastor Pradhan, Aampani
11. Pastor Barik Aampani,
12. Pastor Alok Das, Kharihar
13. Pastor I M Senapati, Kharihar
14. Unidentified attacked Naktikani
H. Number of Houses, Shops, Villages destroyed
Kandhamal district
1. 1,900 destroyed
2. Sisir Mallick, Sarapanch Kurtamgarh
3. Nine unidentified houses at Toposi village
4. Houses Mangapanga
5. Houses in Mundabali
6. Houses in Baringia
7. Mr. Benjamin Nayak house in Telingia, G. Udaigiri
8. Mr. Gomor Nayakin houses in Telingia, G. Udaigiri
9. Houses in Khajurinal
10. Houses in Balliguda
11. Houses in Phulbani
Bargarh district:
12. 13 unidentified villages
Kalahandi district:
13. 3 shops looted
Koraput district:
14. House in Ramgiri
Rayagada district:
15. 2 houses in Rayagada
Gajapati district :
16. houses and one grocery shops
17. 3 villages in the Gajapati
Sambalpur district:
18. HM Sister's, Ainthapalli
Bolangir District:
19. Village in, Manihira
20. Village, Pandrani
21. Pramod Bedi house
Boudh district :
22. Eight houses torched in, Lamsaripali village
23. 42 houses were torched in Uma village
24. 29 houses burnt at Mosinaguda village
25. 27 houses in Phatamunda village
26. 13 houses in Kunukutri village.
I. Forcible Conversion of Christians by Sangh Parivar outfits
1. VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS activists have been threatening Christians in refugee Camps and in the still intact villages to convert to Christianity or face death. From 24 August till date, every date several case of such coercive action is being reported.
2. Forcible conversion consists of shaving the heads of the male forcing the family to drink cow dung diluted with cow urine and water, and taking an oath at a fire. In some cases authorities have reported that head of the families so converted are asked to set fire to neighboring Christian house and church and is photographed while doing so , as if to concoct “ evidence” that Christian bunt their own houses.
J. Relief Camps attacked
1. The Government Relief Camps set up at Vijay High School Raikia block, Kandhamal reported that drinking water was poisoned on 3rd September 2008.Fortunately, the poisoning of water was detected in time and confirmed by a doctor just before food was served to the Christians taking refuge in the camp, resulting in their going hungry till 4pm. An attempt to poison the drinking water source of the relief camp in Habaq High School, Relief Camp at G. Udayagiri, Kandhamal was foiled by an alert security guard at 9 pm on 2nd September. On Sept 4th a group of nearly 2500 Hindutva extremists barged into the Relief Camp at Tikabali Govt. High School shouted at the Christian refugees and took away supplies meant for the Christian refugees, while police were silent spectators to the event.
2. In Non Government camps about 93 no of men, women and children from the District of Kandhamal have come to Cuttack, fleeing from the torture at their own villages. They have been sheltered at Peyton Sahi, Cuttack by few individuals of Cuttack Oriya Church (Independent Baptist Church). The members are taking care of the needs through the personal support of the organizers and some well-wishers. The local administration has come forward to supply them with tents & clothing and some cooking utensils.
3. Incessant rain in Orissa is wrecking havoc in relief camps where thousands of victims are housed. Poor hygienic conditions and mall nutrition is raising the death counts. One child died in G. Udaigiri relief camp.
[This list is compiled with assistance from EFI Advocacy, Christian Legal Association, Archbishop's House Bhubaneswar, Dr. John Dayal, and EFI News correspondents across India]
Courtesey: Christian Legal Association |
