Indian church condemns killing of Orissa VHP leader

INDIAN CHURCH CONDEMNS KILLING OF ORISSA VHP LEADER

The Church in India has unequivocally condemned the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad [VHP] Orissa leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati and his four colleagues in the Tumiliband region of Kandhamal district by Left wing extremists. Still recovering from the worst ever anti Christian violence in Indian history in December 2007, Christian organisations have appealed for peace as the community braces for another round of violence in the state from Hindutva groups who have sworn to avenge Saraswati death by attacking Churches, institutions, clergy and nuns.

The following is the text of major statements issued by Church groups condemning the VHP leaders´ death:

ARCHBISHOP RAPHAEL CHEENATH, SVD
Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar
24 August 2008

I, on behalf of the Christians of Orissa, particularly the catholic Christians, strongly condemn the dastardly attack and violent killing of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and five of his associates. We the Christians abhor violence and condemn all acts of violence and terrorism and are against all groups of people taking the law into their own hands. We condole the death of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati, a religious leader and his associates. At this critical juncture I appeal to all for peace and communal harmony. We want good relationship with all the communities with whom we live.
We are also concerned at the immediate outbreak of communal violence against innocent Christians in nearby districts. Early reports suggest that least one prayer hall in Sundergarh District has been burnt and vehicle belonging to Daughters of the most Precious Blood has been burnt near G. Udayagiri.
We urgently appeal to the Chief Minister and the Governor of Orissa and at the Indian Home Minister Mr. Shivraj Patil to take whatever steps are require to maintain peace and harmony in all areas of states, to prevent further attacks on Christians and to bring to book those responsible for the death of Lakshmanananda Saraswati and his associates.

---------

ALL INDIA CHRISTIAN COUNCIL:

Press Statement by Dr John Dayal, Secretary General, and Dr Sampaul, National Secretary for Public Affairs

The All India Christian Council is deeply concerned at the attack on an ashram near Tumiliband in Kandhamal District of Orissa last night in which the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati and four of his associates were killed. This is the latest of a series of attacks in recent months by political extremists which have left dozens of policemen and others dead in several districts of Orissa.
We are also concerned at the immediate outbreak of communal violence against innocent Christians in nearby districts. Early reports suggest at least one prayer hall in Sundergarh ahs been burnt, the van of some Catholic Nuns destroyed and the sisters themselves injured.
We urgently appeal to the Chief Minister and the Governor of Orissa and at the Indian Home Minister Mr. Shivraj Patil to take whatever steps are require to maintain peace and harmony in all areas of states, to prevent further attacks on Christians and to bring to book those responsible for the death of Lakshmanananda Saraswati and his associates.
The Christian community abhors violence, condemns all acts of terrorism and is against groups of people taking the law into their own hands. We have had major differences with the dead VHP leader. It has been the hate campaigns of the VHP and Sangh Parivar which led to untold misery to Christians in the violence last Christmas. Refugees from that violence are still living in government camps in Barakhama under miserable conditions. But we wish peace to everyone. We pray for peace in Orissa, one of the most undeveloped states in the country>

------------------

CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE OF INDIA:

The Catholic Bishops´ Conference of India (CBCI) is sad to note that Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati and five others were murdered on Saturday August 23 allegedly by Maoist group in Kandhamal Dist of Orissa. The Church leaders in Orissa and other parts of the country have condemned the killing of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and his associates in the Ashram. We have also appealed for peace and harmony in the state.
However, we are extremely sorry to find that some organizations have pointed finger at the Christian community in Orissa for the alleged murder of the Swami and his associates. Consequently there have been unprovoked attacks on Christians and their institutions in Kandhamal and surrounding areas. School at Bhadrak Town, Convent and the computer centre at Baliguda in Kandhamal Dist, Pastoral Centre at Baliguda in Kandhamal Dist., Social Development Centre (Jan Vikas Kendra) at Baliguda in Kandhamal Dist., Catholic Church in Phulbani and a Convent of the religious women at Phulbani have suffered in the attacks which took place after the murder of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati.
We are sad to note that the extremists are attacking and vandalizing our institutions without any reason. Incidents of arson and burning of vehicles belonging to the Church have also been reported at Udaygiri. Some of our religious nuns, girls and boys in the hostels have fled from their places and taken shelter in the forest, particularly in Kandhamal Dist. We are seriously concerned about the safety and security of our frightened people who are innocent and yet find themselves in a very precarious situation. The State Government has deployed police forces in some of the areas and yet the violence has not been contained. We request the Central Government to urgently intervene in the matter and send additional forces to bring situation to normalcy.

-- Rev. Dr. Babu Joseph, SVD, Spokesperson, CBCI

------------

EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP OF INDIA:

Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) denounces the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and his four associates by suspected Maoists in Orissa state´s Kandhamal district on August 23. While deeply saddened by the weeklong spate of attacks that hit Kandhamal district during last Christmas, EFI, as a representative of the evangelical church in India, stands against every act of violence and terrorism.
EFI also regrets that vested interests among the various Hindu nationalist groups are trying to blame local Christians for the act, as reflected in the acts of vandalism and arson reported from Kandhamal after the attack on Saraswati ashram.
EFI appeals to the central, state and district authorities to take all possible measures to maintain peace and calm in Kandhamal. EFI also calls for the Christian community in India and abroad to pray for protection of the Christians in Kandhamal and other parts of Orissa.

-- Rev. Dr. Richard Howell, General Secretary Evangelical Fellowship of India

--------------------

Prashant. A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

We condemn the killing of Swami Saraswati and four of his associates during the attack on the VHP Ashram in the Kandhamal District of Orissa on Saturday 23rd August 2008. We sympathize with the bereaved members of the families who have lost their loved ones.
We call upon the Orissa and the Central Governments to do all in their power to bring to book immediately, those responsible for this dastardly act; that anti-social elements do not take law and order into their own hands and above all, to ensure that peace and calm prevail in the area, and in other parts of Orissa.
Violence, for whatever the provocation, is non-acceptable, and will definitely not help achieve the goals for which these acts are committed. We therefore call upon all those responsible for these acts and to eschew violence immediately. No violence can be justified, for whatever the reason. However, for the last several months, the Government of Orissa has allowed some fascist and fundamentalist forces to terrorize the poor, the marginalized and the minorities of the State. These forces have carried on their virulent propaganda and their violent acts with apparent immunity.
There has been a total abdication of responsibility by the Government of Orissa and the concerned authorities, like the police. They should now also be held totally responsible for these deaths and for allowing the situation to go out of control. Sufficient warning has been given to the Orissa Government, of the deteriorating situation, as early as in September 2006, with the publication of "Communalism in Orissa" - the Report of the Indian People's Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights - headed by Justice K. K. Usha (Retd.) former Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court. It may still not be too late to ensure that the Constitutional Rights and Freedoms of the people of Orissa are not merely guaranteed by also protected by the State.

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj, Director