Blog@Orissa Concerns

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Dear friends

Greetings

We must welcome every single effort at peace in Kandhamal and in Orissa

Its main ingredients must be:

1. Immediate return of all Christians to their homes
2. Removal of fear — which means adequate and more CRPF as local police has tainted itself.
3. Punishment for the guilty — all guilty including those responsible for any violence against Hindus, but no harassment of innocent. The harassment of innocents becomes the cause of long term enmity and mutual suspicion anger.
4. Reconciliation between Kondhs and Kuis and Panos of all religions — Christians, Hindus and Indigenous, and Oriyas traders in Kandhamal. They have to live in future and neighbours, not in ghettos. There cannot be a ‘Lebalisation” of Kandhamal.
5. Immediate ban on the bandh call of various groups for Christmas day, which is very provocative.
6. Ban on entry of Togadia and Bajrang Dal and VHP leaders in Kandhamal
7. End to hate campaign all over Orissa and the special targeting of Christian Church leaders in the hate campaigns in the presence of police, politicians and officials
8. Civil society in Orissa, especially in Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, to assume its responsibility for educating the people. Local civil society, including professors and retired judges must set up their own monitoring committees.
9. Political parties to assume their role and not be afraid of VHP or vote bank politics
10. Press Council of India to monitor Oriya language print and TV media and its role in fomenting and aggravating violence
11. Women’s Commission, Children Commission etc. must take proactive action in Kandhamal where every child is being deprived of his or her fundamental rights including nutrition and education.
12. Further, the Church needs to do the following, and work towards:
    1. Absolutely united legal effort, now underway, but needs additional support
    2. Absolute unity in relief and rehab effort, a unity nonexistent at present. Each is helping its own, so to speak. Houses of the December 2007 violence still remain incomplete.
    3. Census of all refugees outside Kandhamal, some living with small church groups as far away as in Sreekakulam in Andhra. Every refugee must be accounted for, every injured must be listed, and the state held accountable. Otherwise their future is very dark.
    4. Move the courts for ban on bandh on Christmas day or Easter day.
    5. Senior leaders must come to Bhubaneswar to monitor the Christmas 2008 celebrations in the state of Orissa. Smaller teams must also go to districts affected, and in Kandhamal to every block
    6. Let us not ignore Christmas. Let there be no talk of black Christmas, black flags or what have you which is negative and pessimistic. Our tribute to the martyrs of Orissa as to celebrate Christmas in their memory. Maybe we can cut down on the dances and parties, but the Churches must be full at every Mass, every service and every homily must remind us of the circumstances in which Christ was born, which is the circumstance n which many a newborn will see the day on Christmas in Kandhamal.
    7. There can and must be no talk of dialogue with RSS and VHP and Bajrang Dal or apology for killing the VHP leader, as some Christians seem to be advocating. Christians did NOT kill the man. Maoists have claimed credit for shooting him. There are many other theories, including some which indict the Sangh Parivar. Please do not bring in Christians into the picture. Even by way of some half baked theological motive.
    8. Let us appreciate the work done by every church, every group, international agencies and many others. Let there be no competition, no “I” and “MY group” in staking claims and taking credits. Much remains to be done.
    9. Finally – Help us prepare a definitive WHITE PAPER on ORISSA 2008

God bless us all

Merry Christmas

John Dayal

Vasundhara Jairath

The outbreak of communal violence in Kandhamal has sparked off a debate on the question of religious conversion. On the one hand, census figures are being dug out to portray the ‘danger’ of the increase in percentage of Christian population and of the fast pace of conversion taking place specifically in Kandhamal, holding the strong presence of the Church responsible for this. On the other hand, progressives attempt to explain the conversions in light of the otherwise abysmal conditions and extreme poverty that large parts of the Dalit and Adivasi population live in, with the Church intervening where the State has given up all responsibilities. The debate, however, begs a befitting question.  Why does conversion matter?

The Sangh Parivar rose to power in the 1980s raking up the issue of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, seeing to it that the whole country began to debate whether or not it could be proved that Ram was born at the very spot where Babri Masjid stood. Today, it has seen to it that the whole country is engaged in the debate of whether or not the means used by missionaries to convert people to Christianity are legal or illegal. And this, while this same country chooses without debate and discussion to unite in the face of the Mumbai Terror and condemn the
violence.

Conversion matters when votes are sought on religious lines. Conversion is a threat when communities are mobilized on a religious
basis. And to preoccupy ourselves with the debate around conversion is to play right into the hands of those that fan communal tension.

Press Statement
December 5, 2008  

Campaign for Peace and Justice in Orissa
‘Take Stringent Action Against Perpetuators of Violence ’ 

New Delhi: In the wake of attacks on Christians in Orissa and the continuing hate campaign on minorities across the country by the Sangh Parivar , members of different social movements are kick starting a Dil Jodo Samaj Jodo Abhijan (Campaign to Knit Hearts and Society) from December 6. 

Starting from Bargarh district headquarter the campaign would pass through the trouble torn villages/towns of Orissa to culminate the first phase at Bhubaneswar on December 16. Senior activist of the National Alliance of People’s Movements Tom Kocherry will inaugurate the campaign to be attended by representatives of different organizations from around the country.  

While action against the perpetuators of violence against minorities since August is still awaited, the VHP/RSS in an attempt to escalate tension in the region, has called for an Orissa bandh on December 25, on Christmas Day. There is great apprehension that the VHP bandh will become another excuse to unleash more violence against the already battered Christian community and kill both the flesh and spirit of this year’s Christmas in Orissa. In fact it was on Christmas Day last year that the anti-Christian attacks, organised by the VHP, Bajrang Dal, RSS and other Hindutva extremist groups, were launched.  

One may recall that in the renewed violence since late August this year over 60 people have been killed, several women including nuns raped, over 4,400 houses and 151 churches destroyed and more than 18,000 people injured in Kandhamal and other places. There are over 50,000 people homeless and living in the most atrocious conditions unable to return to their homes due to fear and lack of state protection.  

“The campaign is to prevent the recurrence of further violence against Christians in the state, demanding justice for the victims and to prevail upon the Indian and Orissa governments to protect the lives and livelihood of innocent citizens of minority communities”, said Lingaraj, one of the Convenors of the campaign and a senior member of Samajwadi Jan Parishad. 

The campaign is jointly planned by a number of organizations in Orissa. They include, Sanskrutik Andolan, Janwadi Abhijan, Samajwadi Jan Parishad, Lokshakti Abhijan, Sramana Sanskruti, GGJK, Khaprakhol,  Gaan Mait Sanskrutik Andolan, Digdarsan Sanskrutik Anustan and Bidyarthy Yubjan Sabha. 

The campaign is supported by civil society organizations across the country. “What happens in Orissa is symbolic of the hate campaign VHP/RSS is spearheading against the minorities and the powerless in this country. We, as members of the civil society are duty bound to support initiatives / campaigns against these and to protect the secular fabric of the country,” said Satya Sivaraman, a filmmaker andmember of the Christmas for Orissa Campaign Committee in Delhi. 

The campaign would include a number of ways to spread the message of peace and justice. Among these are  a cultural rally with street theatre, public meetings & discussions, leaflet distribution, literature selling cum exhibition, poster distribution and exhibition and film screenings. 

Contacts:
(In Orissa)

Lingaraj : 09437056029
Shankar Mahanad: 09937158847 

(In Delhi)

Vijayan: 9868165471
Bipin Kumar: 9868280198  

Detailed Route of the Campaign

6.12.08 (Inauguration Ceremony) Bargarh, Sohela

07.12.08 Ghenss, Padampur, Patnagarh

08.12.08 Khaprakhol, Lathor, Udyanbandh, Komna

09.12.08 Khariar, Borden, Sinapali

10.12.08 Dharamgarh, Junagarh, Bhabanipatna

11.12.08 Kesinga, Titlagarh, Saintala, Badmal   

12.12.08 Deogaon, Bolangir   

13.12.08 Loisngha, Mendha   

14.12.08 Sonpur, Boudh, Madhapur 

15.12.08 Banigachha, Daspalla, Nayagarh  

16.12.08 Khurdha, Bhubaneswar