SPEAK OUT FOR DISPLACED CHRISTIANS IN ORISSA, INDIA.

Only one year ago, 50, 000 Christians were forced from their homes in Orissa state, India, because of their faith. In this ruthless persecution over 120 people died and 300 villages were destroyed, leaving many homeless.

We need 50, 000 people, one for each of the Christians who have suffered, to contact Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh of India and to urge him to seek justice for our Christian brothers and sisters. They should not have to worship in fear.

Current Situation
A year on from the decimation of the Christian people and their homes in Orissa, over 4,000 are still displaced and continue to face hardship and persecution.

They cannot return home because of their fear for their lives and the threat of forced conversion. Their situation is desperate, but you can make a difference.

Please go to www.premier.co.uk and fill in the form provided to ask the Indian government to seek justice for the victims of this campaign of hate. We want the government to try the perpetrators, protect the witnesses and compensate the victims. With your help we can do this.

Sourse: Premier Christian Media 24/09/2099

Join the call for justice for persecuted Christians in India

Concern that authorities are failing to prevent violence and unwilling to protect Christians

People killed for their faith in Orissa and victims still suffering at the hands of religious extremists were remembered in prayer at the Synod of the Church of North India (CNI), in Punjab. Churches are not being permitted to contribute to the relief effort, but people are being urged to pray and join in the call for justice.

The 350 Synod members were visibly moved as they listened to two Christians from Orissa tell of their experiences in one of the 311 villages that have suffered violent attacks from religious extremists.

One victim told how his congregation had been attacked during a service and people were forced to flee into the forest. He had been attacked with an axe and left for dead among the trees. To this day he wonders how or why God saved his life. Although he has had to sell almost all he owned to pay for the medical treatment, he said; ‘I praise God for his mercy. My faith is now stronger than before.’

Concern was expressed at the way the police and authorities are failing to intervene to prevent violence, unwilling to protect Christians and their homes, and being partial in their upholding of law and order.

Christine Elliott, Methodist Secretary for External Relationships has written to the Indian Prime Minister, asking him to assure the British Methodist Church that the religious rights of all Indians will be protected and that the police and the courts will do all they can to guarantee the personal safety of individuals, families and communities.

The CNI General Secretary, Revd Enos Das Pradhan, expressed gratitude for statements of support from Partner Churches - including the British Methodist Church – and noted that the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, had been forced to acknowledge the communal violence against individuals because of their faith as ‘a national shame’.

‘The immediate need is for emergency relief for those who are homeless or hiding in the forests and to bring an end to violence and threats’, said Revd Das Pradhan, adding, ‘Religious tolerance has been the basic tenet and hallmark of India’s ancient civilization and history. We condemn all religious violence.’

After discussion with CNI Synod Officers, Partnership Coordinator with responsibility for India Steve Pearce said; ‘Although no Church is allowed to be part of the current relief effort, I know British Methodists will be keen to help the affected Christian communities rebuild their lives and we will launch an appeal when the time is right. Meanwhile, I encourage everyone to pray for peace and to add their voice to the call for justice by writing to the Prime Minister of India and the High Commissioner in London.’


Source: Methodist News Service 20/10/08

Free Churches call on churches to pray, governments to act for peace

The Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church are calling for churches and governments to mark the International Day of Peace (21 September) by praying and working for peace in the Indian State of Orissa and Georgia.

The three denominations, who work closely on national and international issues through the Joint Public Issues Team, are calling on churches to pray for fellow Christians in Orissa who have experienced a wave of persecution and violence in recent weeks from Hindu extremists and for the local authorities in the Indian state to do more to halt the religious attacks.

The Revd Roberta Rominger, General Secretary of the United Reformed Church says, “Our partners report harrowing accounts of the violence in Orissa in which Christians, including priests and nuns, have been killed, raped or tortured. Over 150 churches have been ransacked and over 1,000 homes have been burnt down. We urge the Indian State and national authorities to intervene to prevent any further violence. The state authorities have failed to protect vulnerable people with tragic consequences. People's confidence in the police and justice system needs to be rebuilt. Our thoughts are with those who have fled their homes and those who are living in fear. We also offer our prayers and support to Hindu and Christian leaders who are working to resolve the underlying tensions between communities.”

The denominations are also keen for churches to pray on 21 September for relations between Russia, Georgia and the West following the military dispute in South Ossetia in August. They call on the UK government in particular to work for a just and peaceful resolution of tensions in the region.

Graham Sparkes, Head of the Faith and Unity Department at the Baptist Union of Great Britain, says, “Humanitarian aid has already been sent to our partners in the region. But beyond the immediate need for shelter, clothing and medical assistance, is the deeper need for a just peace that will prevent future conflict. Russian and Georgian Christians plan to meet later this month as a sign of their commitment to seek reconciliation and reject violence. We want to see that same commitment from politicians on all sides.”

The Revd Stephen Poxon, President of the Methodist Conference, believes praying for peace and reconciliation in Orissa and Georgia is living out the gospel message. “Love is at the heart of the Christian gospel. It should be remembered that Jesus’ instruction to “love your neighbour” was given at a time of social conflict and occupation. We see in Orissa, Georgia and elsewhere people of all faiths taking big risks to break down barriers and build understanding. The miracle of the God’s love is its capacity to overcome hatred and adversity. The instruction to “love your neighbour” is given to each and every one of us. On the International Day of Prayer for Peace we pray especially for those engaged in the task of peace and reconciliation in some of the more troubled areas of our world.”

ENDS

Notes
For more information about the Joint Public Issues Team, visit http://www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/.


The Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) is the Baptist family in England and Wales (there is also the Baptist Union of Wales). It is made up of churches, regional associations, the national resource centre and Baptist colleges. The Union works with others in mission locally, regionally and internationally. There are some 150,000 members of Baptist churches associated with the Baptist Union of Great Britain. http://www.baptist.org.uk/.

The Methodist Church has about 295,000 members and 800,000 people are connected with the Church. It has about 5,800 churches in Great Britain, and also maintains links with other Methodist churches totalling a worldwide membership of 70 million. http://www.methodist.org.uk/.

The United Reformed Church comprises one hundred thousand people in 1600 congregations. It has brought together English Presbyterians, English, Welsh and Scottish Congregationalists and members of the Churches of Christ. Worldwide, more than 70 million Christians are members of the Reformed family of churches, the largest Protestant tradition. The name ‘Reformed’ is used because the churches began to emerge with reform movements in the sixteenth century. http://www.urc.org.uk/.



The three denominations are the largest of the Free Churches in Britain.

The Joint Public Issues Team, created in September 2006, combines the expertise of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church in the area of public issues. Through close collaboration, the churches aim to increase the effectiveness of their engagement in public life and parliamentary affairs.



For more information contact Chris Hall.

Chris Hall
Media Relations (Communications Dept)

Baptist Union of Great Britain, Baptist House, PO Box 44, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 8RT

Tel 01235 517756 Fax 01235 517715

Email chall@baptist.org.uk

Amanda Allchorn
Head of Communications

Baptist Union of Great Britain, Baptist House, PO Box 44, 129 Broadway, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 8RT

Tel 01235 517717 Fax 01235 517715 Mobile/Out of hours 07929 339240

Email aallchorn@baptist.org.uk

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!

The following email came while I was away from home and the crucial time for prayer has now passed. Nor do we know what the situation is now but, whatever the situation, the Christians in Orissa will still need our fervent prayer until peace is restored and the suffering and sorrow ing are comforted and the work able to be continued once more. So I feel the need to ask you to join me in prayer for everyone in Orissa.


URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!
AUGUST 27, 2008

Dear beloved sponsors and friends of GNI, (Good News India)

We have never seen anything like this. We knew that Orissa was the most resistant and hostile State in India as far as the Gospel is concerned. And we brushed off the continuous threats and harassment we faced as we went about His work. But none of our staff imagined that they would see this kind of carnage..... And it seems to be totally under the radar of the Western Media.... Let me explain....

A militant Hindu priest and 4 of his attendants, who were zealously going
around the villages of Orissa and "reconverting" people back to Hinduism,
were gunned down by unknown assailants in Central Orissa last weekend.
Immediately the Christians were blamed. The cry rose up..."Kill the
Christians!"

And the horror began....

In the past 4 days, we have first-hand witness to hundreds of churches being
blown up or burned and many, many dozens of Christian tribals have been
slaughtered. For no other reason than they bear the name of Christ. Night and day I have been in touch with our Good News India Directors spread across 14 Dream Centers in Orissa... they are right in the middle of all this chaos.

In Tihidi, just after the police came to offer protection, a group of 70
blood-thirsty militants came to kill our staff and destroy the home. They
were not allowed to get in, but they did a lot of damage to our Dream Center
by throwing rocks and bricks and smashing our gate, etc. They have promised
to come back and "finish the job." Our kids and staff are locked inside and
have stayed that way with doors and windows shut for the past 3 days. It has
been a time of desperately calling on the Lord in prayer. More police have
come to offer protection.

In Kalahandi, the police and some local sympathizers got to our dream center
and gave our staff and kids about 3 minutes notice to vacate. No one had
time to even grab a change of clothes or any personal belonging. As they
fled, the blood-thirsty mob came to kill everyone in the building. We would
have had a mass funeral there, but for His grace.

All our dream centers are under lock down with the kids and staff huddled
inside and police outside. The fanatics are circling outside waiting for a
chance to kill.

In a nearby Catholic orphanage, the mob allowed the kids to leave and
locked up a Priest and a computer teacher in a house and burned them to
death. Many believers have been killed and hacked into pieces and left on
the road.... even women and children.

More than 5000 Christian families have had their homes burned or destroyed.
They have fled into the jungles and are living in great fear waiting for the
authorities to bring about peace. But so far, no peace is foreseen. This
will continue for another 10 days.... supposedly the 14 day mourning period
for the slain Hindu priest. Many more Christians will die and their houses
destroyed. Many more churches will be smashed down.

The Federal government is trying to restore order and perhaps things will
calm down. We ask for your prayers. Only the Hand of God can calm this
storm.

Through all this, I am more determined than ever to continue with our goal:
the transformation of a community by transforming its children. Orissa will
be saved... that is our heart's cry. If we can take these thousands of throw-
away children and help them to become disciples of Jesus, they will transform
an entire region. It is a long term goal, but it is strategic
thinking in terms of the Great Commission.

What can you do? First, please uphold all this in fervent prayer. Second,
pass this e-mail on to as many friends as you can. We must get the word out
and increase our prayer base for this is spiritual warfare at its most basic
meaning. We are literally fighting the devil in order to live for Christ's
Kingdom.

The next 10 days are crucial. We pray for peace and calm to pervade across
Orissa.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please pass it on and help us to
get as many people to partner with us on this cutting edge effort to fulfill
His mandate: Go and make disciples of all nations....

Blessings!
Dr. Faiz Rahman

I now have up-to-date news of some of the persecuted Christians in Orissa from a friend. He says, 'Let us also remember the recent victims of persecution by extreme Hindus - partiularly in Orissa. Some members of the Friends Missionary Prayer Band are still in danger - even hiding in the jungles with lack of food or water!'
So we must continue to pray fervently for their succour and safety.




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