Peaceful Christmas celebrations in Kandhamal

(December 26, 201) Despite cold temperatures in eastern India’s Orissa state, Christians in Kandhamal district celebrated Christmas with joy and enthusiasm amid elaborate security arrangements, shedding fears of riots that had rocked the communally-sensitive district in 2007 and 2008. Christians attended Christmas Eve services Saturday night at different churches in the tribal-dominated area; and on Christmas morning, Sunday, they thronged their places of worship in colourful attires as people belonging to all communities joined the celebrations showing a spirit of fellowship and brotherhood. The minimum temperature in the district headquarter town of Phulabani dipped to 4.6 Celsius on Sunday. The celebrations remained peaceful as security personnel were deployed in strength at places of worship, prayer halls and Christian-inhabited areas, while streets were being patrolled and anti-riot vehicles remained in a state of preparedness to meet any eventuality. The Kui Samaj Seva Samity (Kui social service society) had earlier called for the total strike from Dec. 24-27. The group had called a similar strike in December 2007 that led to violence against Christians in the Christmas week. This was followed with even more atrocities against Christians in August 2008. After Christians objected to the Dec. 24-27 total shut down authorities on Thursday made the Samity restrict its strike to Dec. 26.