VIOLENCE IN ORISSA: AN APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY Situation: The murder of Swami Lakshmananda Saraswati and four other persons allegedly by Maoists on Saturday, 23rd August in Kondmal district of Orissa was shocking. The Church leaders across the country condemned such brutal act and appealed for restrain and harmony in the community. But it is distressing to note that some organization have pointed the finger at Christian community in Orissa for the alleged murder of Swami and his colleagues.

The eruption of violence across the state now crossing the boundary of Kondmal district is worrying when the memory of violence on the eve of Christmas of 2007 in Kondmal district had not faded. The twelve hour bandh on Monday, 25th August called by Viswa Hindu Parishad-Bajrang Dal to protest against the killing witnessed several churches and Prayer halls being burnt, ransacked and desecrated, Christian houses burnt and attacked, educational institutions and orphanage attacked. The cruelest was the burning of two persons alive including a woman.

People had to flee to the forest. The extent of arson and violence could be envisaged from the list enclosed. Fresh violence of burning of houses again reported on Tuesday, the 26th.

The Law and Order situation in Orissa is volatile despite the effort of the state government in deploying police to control the situation. Curfew had been clamped on Phulbani, Baliguda, Tumudibandh, G.Udayagiri, Nuagaon, Raiki, Phiringia. Initiatives:  A delegation of National United Christian Forum – a United Forum of National Council of Churches in India, Catholic Bishop's Conference of India and Evangelical Fellowship of India apprised the Hon.

Home of minister of the Government of India on 25th Evening in New Delhi and urged for immediate action. Appeal for immediate intervention at this time of crisis has been sent to Her Excellency the President of India , Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Chairperson of National Commission for minorities, His Excellency the Governor of Orissa and Hon'ble Chief Minister of Orissa. Appeal: We are seriously concerned about the safety and security of our people for no crimes of their own.

It will be highly appropriated if letter of solidarity extending moral support could be sent to the local bishops and church leaders and, to the Government requesting for immediate intervention to bring the situation under control as per the addresses enclosed The National United Christian Forum appeals to Christian schools, Colleges and other educational institutions be closed on Friday, August 29, 2008 as a mark of solidarity with the suffering brothers and sisters in Orissa and as a protest against all acts of communal violence and atrocities on the Christian community and other innocent people. We urge you to declare the Sunday, September 7, 2008 as a Day of Prayer and Fasting and hope that all our churches and church institutions will hold prayer services and memorial gatherings on this day, highlighting the need for our solidarity and prayer with all the victims facing most trying and difficult times. Bishop D.K.Sahu General Secretary Addresses: Her Excellency Smt.

Pratibha Devisingh Patil President of India Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi Fax: 011 – 23017290, 23017824 Email: < presidentofindia@rb.nic.in > Dr. Manmohan Singh Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Room No. 152, South Block, Central Secretariat, South Block, New Delhi, 110001 (O) Tel : +91-11-23012312 (O) Fax: +91-11-23016857 Chief Minister Shri Navin Patnaik Chief Minister of Orissa Naveen Nivas, Aerodrome Road, P.O.-Bhubaneswar, District-Khurda, Pin-751001 (Orissa) (O) Tel: +91-0674-2531100, 2535100, 2531500 (O) Fax: +91-674-2400100 Email:cmo@ori.nic.in Shri Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare, Governor of Orissa Governor's House, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa (Off) 0674-2536111, 2536582, 2400056, 2410550, 2402550 (Fax) 0674-2404695 Shri. Mohamed Shafi Qureshi Chairperson, National Commission for Minorities 5th Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market, New Delhi – 110 003 Dr. Buta Singh, Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Castes Phone: 011-24632298, 24620435 Fax: 011-24625378, 24634743, 24615014 Email: chairman-ncsc@nic.in Rt. Rev. Dr. Samson Das Bishop's House, CNI Mission Road, Cuttack – 753 001, Orissa Tel: 0671-2300102, 3250268, 09337271726 Email: diocese@vsnl.net ; doccni@vsnl.net ; bishopsamsondas@gmail.com 8) Rt.

Rev. Dr. C.K. Das Bishop's House, CNI Mission Compound, Bolangir – 767 001, Orissa Tel./Fax: 06652-230625, 09861018966, 09437038411 Email: bishop\_ckdas@rediffmail.com Rt. Rev. Bijay Kumar Nayak CNI Biocesan Office Mission Compound, Gudripori G-Udaigiri, Dist Kandhamal Phulbani – 762 001, Orissa Tel: 06847260569 Catholic Church Archbishop Raphael Cheenath Archbishop's House 9/16, Satyanagar P.O.

Bhubaneshwar - 751 007, Orissa Tel: (0674) 25 02 234, 25 20 524, 25 01 817 (P) Fax: (0674) 25 01 817 E-mail: crcdc@satyam.net.in Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church Rt. Rev. Anam Chandra Khosla Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church Central Office, Jeypore, Koraput – 764 001 Orissa Tel: 06854-231440 (Off), 230925 (Res) Fax: 06854-232637, 231989 Mobile: 09437125385 Email: jelchurch@yahoo.com Bengal-Orissa-Bihar Baptist Convention Rev. Daniel Das Executive Secretary, Christian Service Society Bengal-Orissa-Bihar Baptist Convention Sepoy Bazar, Midnapore (W) – 721 101 West Bengal