Christian woman axed to death in Orissa; torture, arson continue

October 01, 2008

In a pre-dawn attack in two villages in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, Hindu radicals attacked sleeping Christian families, killing one person and injuring ten. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the violence and urged the state government to act to ‘ensure law and order and protection to life and property of all citizens.’ UCA News reported that the homes of 4,500 Christians have been burned and that 50,000 are now hiding in the forest.

In the Catholic stronghold of Kerala, which is located in southwestern India, leaders of two Eastern Catholic Churches, the local Latin Rite archbishop, and other Christian leaders met with Hindu leaders and condemned attacks on churches. Some lay Catholics denounced the meeting, however, after an apparent consensus arose that anti-Christian violence was isolated and the result of forced conversions.

 

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Further information:

• More murder, arson reported as Orissa anti-Christian violence continues unabated (UCAN)
• Orissa: Christian woman killed, 300 more homes burned (AsiaNews)
• Singh condemns renewed violence, asks Orissa to act (ICNS)
• Bishops welcome Singh’s EU assurances (ICNS)
• Violence against Christians in Orissa continues (Vatican Radio)
• Kerala: Christian and Hindu leaders meet, denounce attacks on churches (UCAN)
• India bishops on anti-Christian violence (Zenit)