Christian leaders appeal to India’s Federal Government to save Christians in Orissa
(28 Aug 08 - RV) Church leaders in India today concluded an emergency meeting with
Federal Prime Minister, Mohamon Singh. Prime Minister Singh travelled to the
troubled region of Orissa to survey the damage caused by a week of rampaging mobs
who have targeted Christians and Church property. Authorities are struggling to
control spiralling religious violence in the region. Today, despite a state government
curfew and orders for soldiers to shoot on site, Hindu mobs ransacked another church
forcing local Christians to flee in a rural village. Between 50 and 60 thousand Christians
are now hiding in forests, afraid to return to their homes. Immediately following
the meeting, Archbishop Raphael Cheenath of Cuttack Bubaneshwar, joined
us on the line from Orissa. He told us that the church has little faith in Orissa
state government and so has turned to the Federal government in the hopes it will
intervene to protect the Christian population.