12/29/2010 India (AsiaNews) Christians Right of Return In Orissa Under Threat-
In the Kandhamal district, where Hindu radicals are strong and aggressive, a government official has opposed allowing five Christian families, victims of an organized attack, to rebuild their destroyed homes. A missionary said: "We will take their case to court if the opposition continues."
In Orissa, Christmas was celebrated quietly, but not without worries because there were new cases of injustice and abuse against Christians in Kandhamal, one of the areas where radical Hindus are more aggressive. For many Christian victims of violence, there are difficulties in returning to their places of origin. The latest case is that of a local government official for development and construction, L. Mahanty, who has mistreated and opposed five Christian families’ reconstruction of their homes, destroyed during the anti-Christian hostilities. Four families belonged to the village of Beladadi Koenijhar (Tikabali Block). On December 25th, the official visited the village of Beladadi, ostensibly to examine the state of tranquility and security for Christians. But he insulted the five families, because they rebuilt their homes near the ruins of the destroyed houses. He shouted at them, "I will kick you out from here; the Hindus will cut you to pieces and throw you out and then you will know. Who told you to build your houses here?"
Father K.J. Markos, a Monfort missionary, who has helped Christians in Kandhamal, led one of the villagers on December 26th to Bodimunda village, where the official was visiting on other matters, and tried to argue with him. But the official went on to say that the villagers had to go away, and that the houses under construction had to be demolished and razed to the ground. Following this situation, Father Markos asked L. Mahanty to write down his opposition to allowing the homes of Christians to be rebuilt in this place, but the official refused. "If Mahanty opposes the reconstruction of houses by the Christians of the village, we will bring the matter to court," said Father Markos to AsiaNews.
Meanwhile, a court in the state of Orissa, Kandhamal, sentenced nine Hindu radicals to five years in prison for burning the homes of Christians in the village of Damangpadar. Full Story.
Pray that the Lord will soften the heart of L. Mahanty, an authority of the local government, so that he will allow the Christians to rebuild their homes.
Pray that the Indian Hindus will repent of their sins and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.
Pray that God will thwart any hostile plans of the Hindu radicals against the Indian Christians.
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