Communal Conflict in Orissa
September 15, 2008 in Asia/Pacific, Faith, Justice, Life
Concerning to my previous blog, one of the most pathetic and tragic issue in India is the communal violence. Now this violence has flared up in my state Orissa, engulfing around 16 districts mainly to the tribal dominated districts. This is not originally a mere communal violence but if we do a proper analysis the real cause is poverty, deprivation and bad governance in the state.
On 23rd August 2008, a VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) Leader Swami Lakshamananda Saraswati was shot dead by some Maoists. Which triggered a wave of violence across the state, claimed its first casualty during the 12 hours Orissa Bandh when a woman inmate of a missionary orphanage was burnt alive in Bargarh district. Report said more 5 persons were also burnt alive in Kandhamal district. Several parts of the state were already on the boil, violence escalated in parts of Kandhamal as the religious fundamentalists ( VHP, RSS-Rastriya Swayam Sangh, Bajrang Dal ) targeted the minorities ( Christian Community ).
Wrath fundamentalists attacked many churches, prayer houses, missionary institutions, orphanages and set them into fire. Many Christian families were also attacked by the fundamentalist. A woman whimpered to media, “My son was slain and my daughter was raped in front of me”. The holy of holies was burned and trampled assaulting the Christians. As violence-engulfed village after village in the strife-torn Kandhamal about 6000 families fled to forests seeking shelter. A large number of villagers including pregnant women, children took shelter in nearby jungles to escape attacks. They had to struggle in the dark forest without any proper shelter and food for days long. Now many are taking shelter in the relief camps. Incidence of arson and group clash kept pouring in while many people so far have been killed in the violence.
Official report of Kandhamal violence:16 districts are affected,148 cases have been registered , 194 are arrested, total 4014 houses are burnt, 37 churches have been torched,96 panchayat and 255 villages are affected,6246 family are still left stranded,20260 people affected,26 died and 120 Govt. and Non Govt. Organization were attacked.
(The above report presents the official data but the actual and accurate figure is much more than this.)
Even as violence started to abate in riot hit Kandhamal, communal hatred spread its wings to southern Orissa to my hometown, Jeypore, where a dispute between students in Vikram Dev College,( where I am persuading my Bachelor’s Degree) gave rise to a violence which soon flared up. Indefinite curfew was clamped in the town. At least 36 persons were injured. 19 churches, prayer houses were torched and 45 houses were vandalized. Five dozen vehicles were damaged and all the roads to Jeypore were blocked at several points due to which additional force could not reach on time.
Heavy brick-bating ensued and town police station was attacked. I witnessed about 300 Christians standing bravely in front of about 5000 irate mobs to protect the church and their families. Then the situated was brought control after paramilitary forces reached the spot and conducted flag march.
Now when I am still trying to finish my blog, violence is still prevailing and today 5 churches were set ablaze and 30 families were attacked in Kandhamal district.
Miracles are happening around. In place called Joppapudur a place near Jeypore a church was destroyed all members ran for life to nearby jungles and prayed. A big light was seen from heaven on the church and the whole village witnessed this sight and they could feel the presence of Holy Ghost. This fact assures us that God is with his people and trusting him, the Christian mass do standing firms together possess a heart of reconciliation and compassion.
As per my knowledge goes most of the real Hindus, who have liberal views are condemning these kind of action by the religious fundamentalist and do not subscribe to the view of VHP, RSS, Bajrang Dal.
The least you could do as a spiritual person is to present both sides. How about giving an account of the centuries of attrocities committed by foreign religions against the peaceful local Hindus? History will testify in favour of Hindus who have never attacked any land for violent crusades or inquisitions. Hinduism is not even a religion..all its teachings basically end up in teaching you to find God within.
So why not also talk about the foreign corporate-funded unethical conversions of Hindu tribals and villagers who worship Earth and respect cows? Why not talk about the open cow slaughters in Orissa by Pano Christians to aggravate Hindus? Live and let live, and all will be well. How can you expect peace if you aggravate the majority?
Although a hindu, i have studied in a christian school, for which i am thankful.
But the Principal of the school, a missionary from Spain, used to lure us with Postage stamps from around the world in return for attending the Sunday church!!!! it was a small way to lure innocent minds to christianity i think…..
Dear Anil Chawla,
I read you mail and I am appalled of your justifying the brutality of the people of Orissa. I am a Hindu and an outcast. Basically my ancestors migrated from Greece to Kerala about 4000 years ago and refused to submit to the wishes of the existing castes of the area and were thus considered outcast. Somehow we managed to be leaders of our region and fought off being subdued by the higher castes. But being Greek with a similar religion we easily adopted Hinduism. The bottom line is I can understand the feelings of the outcastes of Orissa. After these attacks, the Christian Dalits of Orissa will be more sure that they live in an oppressive society and will never go back to Hinduism. The problems of Orissa came about because of simple economics. The rich land-lords had Dalits to work for them when their labour force began to question them; it became a serious enough problem for them to stir up violence. What is wrong otherwise for Dalits converting to Christians? They are not given a place in traditional Hindu society; let them liberate themselves in whatever means they can find. If the Dalits are not taught about the bottomless well of the most ancient knowledge available in Hinduism, it is the fault of the Hindus. Hindu preachers probably decided previously that it was beyond them to propagate this knowledge to the Dalits. At least from now on they should do so. Or will the land-lords also kill potential Hindu preachers for liberating the minds of the Dalits.
The castes within Hinduism were supposed to be equal. There was supposed to be only four castes which are equivalent to the four parts of the body (society). The Brahmins represent the head, the Kshathriyas represent the shoulders, the stomach represents the Vaishas and the legs represent the Sudras. Can a person live properly without legs, stomach, shoulders or head? Each caste is as important as the rest for the body to perform. Castes should respect each other just as a person respects the work done by the different parts of the body. The system has stood the test of time, because the various types of people are needed in a country. A friend of mine did an in-depth study of Chinese history and found that the culture always followed a sequence, a wild militant king will take over, then over time the people will be rich, then religion (mainly Buddhism) will come in and a major portion of the people will be pacifist sitting down to meditate, then comes time from another outside king to conquer China and start a new dynasty. Thus Chinese culture swang from militancy, wealth, religious pacifism and then it is time for another conquest from outside. With a caste system, there will be different people performing different work in the country at all times and this can bring security to the country.
Over time the understanding of the caste system in India weakened and we were consequently conquered. Yes, many people blame the foreigners, but we ourselves are to be blamed for our misunderstanding of the caste system over time. You mentioned about killings of the Europeans but you failed to talk about the abject slavery and killings of the lower castes or outcastes in India. As Indians we are as guilty of atrocities as the Europeans, but to our own low castes. No human like to be subdued; it is not natural for a human to submit to subjugation. A Sudra can listen to instructions more easily if they feel they are doing their duties to God, not if they feel they are being forced to work. The Brahmins were powerful in the ancient times because their mantras could give the people whatever they wanted, good crops, homes etc. When the Brahmins started forgetting some mantras, the Kshathriyas took over and ruled for a very long time. Nowadays it is the business people who are the most respected and in future when computers takes over, the instruction following Sudras will be the leaders of society.
You mentioned 250 million Red Indians, I did a Google search but cannot find this data and I don’t believe that is true. Native Americans cannot grow to that number with the simple hunting-gathering and little farming that they did – it is impossible. The current population of USA is 300 million. There are below three million Native Americans today. America fought the Civil War to abolish slavery of the African Americans. In fact American deaths resulting from the Civil war stand at 700,000 compared to 200,000 for World War II. Basically America lost 2.3 % of it’s population to the Civil War compared to 0.23% in WWII, which seems like a just emancipation for all the wrongs committed during the heights of slavery.
Not that I support what the Europeans did but we cannot deny the fact that India is a manifestation of the British. India did not exist till the British made it. If not for the British, India would be just like the Middle East, a whole region of people with the same culture living in confronting countries. Though the British took away a lot, they did bring about some virtues, which we must be thankful for. They abolished suttee (don’t know where that culture came from, it is not in our scriptures) and gave us our system of law. No more are the super rich sultans or other kings taking 90% of the wealth and leaving the rest to eek out a living with 10%. They gave us education in an unbiased manner to all castes. And of course we have to be thankful for the railroads they built.
Thanks,
Prashobh Karunakaran
Dear Anil,
It’s a long time we haven’t heard from each other but I do hope you and your
family are going well. From time to time I have a look at your website to
read the new articles and I haven’t lost will to write you some thoughts
about “Hindu Dharm ? Global Religion of the Modern World”.
But today I wanted, apart from sending warm greetings, to express my deep
concern about the violence committed against Christian in India and
especially in the state of Orissa. Regularly I read about difficulties (and
even more) for Christians in your country and the situation is sadly getting
worst.
I was wondering if you Anil, as a writer, you would be a voice to condemn
these violence?
‘The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.’ So wrote Tertullian in
the third century but there are also many poor people how are suffering
because of evil and unjust actions.
It’s probably not your role to do that so it’s maybe more sharing a concern
than asking something.
I’ll be glad to read some news when you have time and have a good week-end.
Francois
______________________________________
Dear Francois,
Good to hear from you after such a long time. I reciprocate your greetings
with all the warmth and good wishes.
I agree with you that the violence in Orissa or for that matter in any part
of the world is a matter of concern. I shall like that the process of
reconverting misguided souls is carried out by love and compassion instead
of violence. Hence, I condemn use of violence.
Having said that let us keep the whole issue in a broader perspective. Dear
Francois, if you trace your family history back to beyond 1200 CE, you will
find that your ancestors were forced to convert to Christianity in a most
brutal and inhuman manner using the worst possible instruments of torture.
You will appreciate that the christianization of Europe was carried out over
the past eight / nine hundred years by barbarians using methods that cannot
even be described in civil society. Burning of witches and inquisitions in
Spain and Portugal are better known because they occured hardly four
centuries ago.
Christianization of Europe was brutal, but it was nothing compared to what
was done in America and Africa. In America more than 350 million aboriginals
were killed by the settlers with a cross in their hand. Africans were traded
as slaves and Church supported this in the name of Jesus.
Dear Francois, it is high time that everyone realizes that the worst crimes
have been committed in the past one thousand years in the name of Holy
Jesus. Colonialism, Imperialism, Slavery, Human Trafficiking, Inquisitions,
Witch Burning, Genocide, Torture of heretics – all this has been done in the
name of someone who probably did not believe in violence.
I have greatest regards for Jesus, but I am not willing to deny history.
Your as well as my ancestors and brethren have suffered at the hands of
barbarians who carried cross in their hand.
The way I put it is that about 1000 years ago, barbarians took over the
Church and started a war against civilized people, which included your
ancestors. In the last 1000 years, followers of Church have killed,
tortured, maimed, raped, plundered, looted and destroyed life, property,
culture and civilization of hundreds of millions of people.
Fortunately, the truth is beginning to dawn and people are now seeing
Christianity and Church in its true form. The brutal war on humanity was
started by the Church. Humanity is just beginning to wake up against it.
When we condemn the violence in Orissa, it is important to have the above
historical perspective. The Church is trying to do in Orissa what it did to
your ancestors in Europe eight or nine centuries ago. Indians have more
experience of fighting onslaught of such barbarians than your ancestors had.
We have survived and preserved our religious traditions through Muslim rule
as well as through British rule. We know how to fight.
In this thousand year war, where Church has killed hundreds of millions, it
is surprising that they cry hoarse when some minor casualities happen on
their side. The total deaths in Orissa due to communal violence are not even
a miniscule percentage of the people that were brutally tortured and killed
by Portugal Catholic Church during inquistions in Goa from 1540 to 1812.
I do not wish that Hindus adopt the barbaric methods of the Church, but let
the Church and evangelicals not preach to us about non-violence. Expressions
of concern are needed first for my Hindu brethren who were tortured in Goa.
If Church has no regret for inquisitions / witch burning / slavery /
colonialism / imperialism, let them shut their mouth and not talk about
human suffering.
Hope that you will have the courage to look at the truth and see the history
of your own pre-Christian ancestors before you express concern about
violence in Orissa.
Thanks & Regards,
Anil Chawla
Is there an inmate service that gives free backgroun checks, too. Or, do these always need to be paid for.
I’m not sure if I agree with this. You do seem to make a good point but I’m not sure.
why do hindus and christians fight in orissa?
can you reason the conflict from the perspective of each party?