East Indian State Christians shelter in camps

[frigidmagi]

BBC

More than 10,000 Christians are living in refugee camps in the eastern Indian state of Orissa after anti-Christian violence in the area, officials say.

Meanwhile, the toll in the continuing violence, after a Hindu leader was killed 10 days ago, has risen to 20.

Over 3,000 police have been deployed but attacks on churches and Christian institutions continue.

A senior Maoist leader has claimed responsibility for the killing, but Hindu groups have accused Christians.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the violence as a "national disgrace".

The Pope too has condemned the violence and the Italian government has expressed its concerns.

'Wretched condition'

With the violence spreading to new areas of the state, refugees continued to arrive at the camps, officials said.

"People actually are in a very wretched condition," news agency Reuters quoted Bijoy Sarangi, who is in-charge of a relief camp in Kandhamal, as saying.

"They are coming from neighbouring villages and the local administration has taken all steps to bring them from their villages to this place. Gradually, the number is increasing," he said.

Swami Laxamananda
A Maoist leader claimed they killed Swami Saraswati

The state's chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, visited some of the people caught up in the violence in the worst-affected Kandhamal district.

"I've been to see the houses here. I have met the people here. Relief is being given. Matters will be checked up thoroughly to see that whatever their damages are and that they get the compensation for that," Mr Patnaik said.

Meanwhile, fresh anti-Christian violence was reported from the state's Koraput district over the weekend.

Officials said 10 churches were burnt by arsonists and attacks on Christian houses and institutions continued.

Officials said all schools and colleges in Koraput have been ordered shut for the next three days.

'Punished'

Trouble began 10 days ago after Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati was shot along with four others in an attack in the Kandhamal district.

Hindu mobs blamed the killing on Christians and burnt down monasteries, churches and an orphanage.

Christian church in Phulbani District of Orissa state, 26/08
Orissa has seen rising tension between Christians and Hindus

Among those killed was a Hindu woman who was working at the orphanage, in the village of Barakhama.

Meanwhile, a prominent Maoist leader has claimed that Hindu leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati was killed by Maoists.

On Saturday, a man claiming to be the prominent rebel leader "Azad" told a local newspaper that the Hindu leader was "punished" for his "fascist" activities.

"He was killed by the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) for the dubious role he played in the violence against Christians in December last year," he said.

The BBC's Rahul Tandon in the state capital, Bhubaneswar, says it is a complex issue - Hindu groups have long accused Christian priests of bribing poor tribes and low-caste Hindus to change their faith.

Christians say lower-caste Hindus convert willingly to escape the Hindu caste system.

As the authorities struggle to deal with the present situation, the divide between the two communities grows wider and wider, our correspondent says.

Note: I changed the title to be more specific as declaring "India's Christians shelter in camps" when it's only a small area in India seemed a bit sensationalists to me.

I would like to comment a bit here on the situation. While in the wider world Christians and Communists tend to regard each other as natural enemies and lock into death struggles in India the Communist while being armed terrorists in many cases are still in "Defend the Underdog" mode. Lacking power in most cases the corruption as really soaked in yet.

Meanwhile both the Christians of India and the Communists of India are anti-Caste System. As been noted before both belief systems are very popular with lower Caste Hindus (big shock I know). The Upper Caste Hindus tend to go with the easy way out and believe that some underhanded shingians are to blame for the conversions. So they tend towards being rough with both. This results in counterstrikes (likkkeee a Maoist rebel leader killing a High Caste Hindu leader for roughing up Christians.) which leads to counter-counter strikes and so on.

None of this actually hurts the popularity of alteratives to Hinduism among the less then fortunate.

[LadyTevar]

Christianity in Rome was amongst the poor and enslaved, so the cycle repeats itself. With the Christian promise of Heaven versus the Hindu idea of 'go back and try again', it's not surprising the low-class are converting in droves.

[Cynical Cat]

Christianity in Rome was amongst the poor and enslaved, so the cycle repeats itself. With the Christian promise of Heaven versus the Hindu idea of 'go back and try again', it's not surprising the low-class are converting in droves.

No, this is myth. Christianity was very popular among all classes, especially in urban areas. "Pagan" just means "of the countryside" i.e. the country people weren't Christian.

There is, however, a strong socialist element to some parts of the Christian faith, some of it going as far as communism (religious as opposed to secular communism). Hussites, Cathars, and Liberation Theology are some good examples of this.

Good post and explanation frigid.

[frigidmagi]

The upper class wives of Senators and so forth turned pretty quick to Christianity. Some of it has to do with infanticide which was allowable in Rome. Not all of it however, as the belief in the old Roman gods and faiths was frankly falling all across the Empire.

[LadyTevar]

Wow... my Sunday School teachers Lied. Imagine that


Still, Roman wives were also second-class citizens as well.

[frigidmagi]

Damn privileged and powerful second class citizens. Your average male Plebe would have traded spots in a minute.

And I wouldn't say your Sunday School Teachers Lied Tev, they likely completely believed in what they told you, as it had been part of the narrative for the last 1500 years or so.

[Cynical Cat]

Damn privileged and powerful second class citizens. Your average male Plebe would have traded spots in a minute.

And I wouldn't say your Sunday School Teachers Lied Tev, they likely completely believed in what they told you, as it had been part of the narrative for the last 1500 years or so.

Christianity likes it's martyrdom. That's not unique to them, of course. There's a general tendency to exaggerate the severity of disasters that happen to your group. Persecutions become longer and more severe, the sacking of towns more bloody, etcetera etcetera.

[LadyTevar]

Damn privileged and powerful second class citizens. Your average male Plebe would have traded spots in a minute.

And I wouldn't say your Sunday School Teachers Lied Tev, they likely completely believed in what they told you, as it had been part of the narrative for the last 1500 years or so.

Christianity likes it's martyrdom. That's not unique to them, of course. There's a general tendency to exaggerate the severity of disasters that happen to your group. Persecutions become longer and more severe, the sacking of towns more bloody, etcetera etcetera.

*snickers* Georgia towns miles away from Sherman's path totally massacred by the 'dirty Yanks'?

Yeah. I get it. Christians and the Lions.