Following is the information that Evangelical Fellowship of India has gathered as of 4th September 2008 concerning Violence against the Christians in Orissa.
It has to be noted that this information is not yet completed since the sporadic incidents of attacks of communal hatred are still pouring from Orissa in and the same is being processed and verified.
1. Number of districts affected - 14
* Kandhmal
* Gajapati
* Ganjam
* Koraput
* Nayagarh
* Sambalpur
* Kalahandi
* Bargarh
* Cuttack
* Rayagada
* Bhadrak
* Baudh
* Naupada
* Narbarangapur
2. Around 13,000 Christians are in the relief camps. The rest are taking refuge in jungles or their whereabouts not yet known.
3. Christian Denominations affected by violence - 35
1. Catholic
2. Church of North India
3. Baptist (CNI)
4. Baptist (Independent)
5. Lutheran
6. Pentecostal
7. Orissa Missionary Movement(OMM)
8. Blessing Youth Mission
9. Brethren Christ
10. Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church( JELC)
11. Believers Church( Gospel for Asia)
12. Assemblies of God
13. Independent Churches
14. World Vision
15. Discipleship Centre
16. Action Ministries
17. Compassion East India
18. India Every Home Crusade
19. Church of Nazarene
20. Jan Vikas Kendra
21. Mother Teresa Brothers
22. Gramya Pragati
23. Catholics schools
24. Protestant schools
25. Mission India Church
26. Bethel Mission
27. Kandhamal Baptist Churches Union
28. Love India
29. Gospel Shephard Community Church
30. New Hope Church
31. Bible Center Ministry
32. Orissa Followup
33. Union Baptist Church
34. Indian Pentecoastal Church
35. Phulbani Baptist Church
4. Number of Schools & college attacked- 11
* Mt. Carmel school was attacked in Balliguda
* St. Anne's Convent attacked in Padangi
* St. Joseph Convent attacked in Sankharkhole
* St. Anne's Convent attacked in Pobinga
* B D College vandalized in Koraput
* Emmanuel school attacked
* Loyola School attacked in Bhubaneswar
* Schools and hostel attacked in Rayagada
* De Paul School bus burnt in Ganjam
* School & hostel attacked in Bargarh
* William Carey School attacked in Jatni, 5 numbers of school buses were broken.
5. Number of NGO attacked - 4
* World Vision office in Kalahandi
* Discipleship Centre office in Bhadrak
* Action Ministries office ransacked in Bhubaneswar
* Compassion East India office attacked in Bhubaneswar.
6. Christian Deaths toll - 42
* 2 died in Kandhmal
* Rajini Majhi in Bargarh
* Christian killed in Nawarangapur
* 4 killed one name unknown Bikram Naik (38), Dasaratha Pradhan (38), Surendra Naik in Kandhmal.
* Christian killed in Gajapti
* Christian killed in Kandhmal
* Meri Digal in kandhmal
* Sidheswar Digal Sulesaru village
* Pastor Akbhar Digal in kandhmal
* Jaka Naik and Gapana Nayak in Kandhmal
* Mukunda Burdhan killed in Gajapati
* Bidyadhar Digal killed in Dugabadi, Kotagada
* Pastor Dibya sunder Digal killed Baragarh
* Sadananda Pradhan, Anthou Digal, Parikhita Nayak killed Phulbani
* Pastor Gayadhar Digal killed Phulbani
* Michel Naik killed Kandhmal
* Pastor Daniel Naik killed in Kandhmal
* 7 killed in a village called Digi, Raikia, Kandhamal
* Daniel Naik and Michael Naik in Raika
* Rasananda Pradhan in Kandhamal
* Mishra Digal in Kandhamal
* Ramesh Digal killed in kandhmal
* School teacher Gullu killed Kandhmal
* Trinath Digal killed Kandhmal
* Prafulla Nayak killed kandhmal
* Ajuba Naik killed Kandhmal
* Pastor's burnt in Padmapur Bargarh
7. Number of Churches attacked, demolished or charred:
· Balliguda Church building destroyed in Kandhmal
· Archbishop's house attacked in Bhubansewar
· Churches burnt all across Orissa State
· Churches burnt down in Chichida, Bargarh
· Churches burnt in Kalisiguda, Sinaguda, Arangamala, Gumupadar, Masakapanga villages are totally burnt on 27-08-08
· A church was attacked in pottangi of the Koraput district
· Around 55 Parish churches and chapels have been destroyed, attacked and partly burnt down in the Kandhmal district.
· Church building destroyed in Kundra block , Jeypore in Koraput
· OMM Church attacked in Phupugam, Nabarangapur.
· Church Building burnt in Jeypore, Koraput
· Seventh Day Adventist Campus attacked Bamanigaon
· JEL church damaged Jeypore. Koraput
· Churches destroyed Baipariguda, Jeypore, Koraput
· In Baipariguda, Korapur 6 churches have been destroyed and the number will increase in the days to come.
· New life Power Gospel Fellowship church in Punda village koraput destroyed.
· Bible Mission burnt on Sep 1st Jeypore, Ambaguda outpost in Koraput
· OMM Church attacked Jeypore, Ambaguda outpost in Koraput
· A Catholic church attacked in Phulbani Kandhmal
· Baptish church attacked and all furniture burned in Kandhmal
· Assembly of God, Philadelhia Church attacked Kakriguma in Koraput
· A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila in Bhubaneswar damaged
· Church attacked in Jeypore Koraput
· Madhupur Catholic Church attacked
· A pentecostal church was attacked Sambalpur
· The church and Pastor's house were burnt in Padmapur Bargarh
· Lutheran Church been destroyed in Narayanpatna, Koraput
· Church destroyed Dhenkanal
· GFA church destroyed Kandhamal
· Church destroyed Jamtangi Boudh
· Attempted violence on small churches in various districts, including Padampur, Sambalpur near GM College, Talsera, Dangsoroda, Narayanipatara, Muniguda, Tummiibandh, Tangrapada, Phulbani, Balliguda, Kalingia, Chakapad, Srasanranda.
· Church damaged & jeep burnt in Rayagada
· Church burnt in Raika
· Brethren Church attacked Ganjam
· Church attacked in Bhimaguda Nabarangpur
· CNI Church was torched in Murshingaon, Deogaon of Bolangir Dist.
· Bible Mission Jeypore, Ambaguda outpost, Koraput
· OMM Church attacked Jeypore, Ambaguda outpost, Koraput
· Church burnt in Mandasara Kandhmal
· In Koraput District at least three churches were burnt down. A church in Daulagaon was burnt down. Another church in Kodulipadar was charred whereas the third church in Nilabari was torched.
· Church burnt Bhajiguda , Koraput
· Church burnt Khodta, Koraput
· Church burnt Nokera under Kundra PS, Koraput
· JELC church burnt& shops looted Pandkamari under Kundra Ps, Koraput
· Diocesan Pastoral Centre Kanjimendi, Bargarh
· Church in Bidanasi, Cuttack was attacked; the cross was broken and is being taken forcefully by the fundamentalists
8. Christians and pastors assaulted:
· Pastor Jeebaratna Lima of Independent Church from Khurda was attacked
· The mobs in Balliguda, Kandhmal caught hold of two boys of the Catholic hostel and tonsured their heads.
· In Khuntapali, Padampur , Bargarh an Orphanage (Missionary House) was burnt, Father Edward was doused with petrol and set on fire but managed to escape.
· 6 Priests were attacked and are still in the hospital undergoing treatment.
· 20 Christian are injured in Barakhama as per Govt. report according to GCIC
· No less than 18, 000 Catholic have been beaten up in Kandhmal alone according to Archbishop Cheenah
· Rev. U.C Pattnayak's who is the president of the Orissa Missionary Movement was attacked by a strong mob of 500. His office residence and Church were burnt by the assailants. In Jeypore, Koraput
· A Blessing Youth Mission Pastor was beaten up and the Bike was burnt. in Ramgiri , jeypore, Koraput.
· Rev. Thomas Chellen, undergoing treatment at a Catholic hospital in Bhubaneswar, India, a Hindu mob lead by VHP nearly set him on fire.
· A nun named Mina Barua was raped Nuagaon in Kandhamal and Father Thomas Clave was paraded naked.
· Fr Thomas, director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Kanjimendi,Bargarh and another Nun were injured when the centre was attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveled state as the armed mob bayed for their blood.
· A family attacked in Bhawanipatna, Kalahandi
· Pastor Sikander Singh attacked Bhawanipatna ,Kalahandi
· Pastor David Diamond Pahar, Pastor Pravin Ship, Pastor Pradhan and Pastor Barik beaten up and chased away with their families Aampani, Kalahandi.
· Mob surrounds village to attack Christians Naktikani , Kalahandi
9. Details of Houses, Shops and Villages vandalised and torched:
· In Rayagada, Gajapati district 2 houses and one grocery shops belong to Christian are torched by the Mob. Kumuda and Biswajeet along with their family escaped to a safe place.
· In the district of Balagir near to loisingha block the Hindutva radicals attacked 2 villages (Manihira and Pandrani). The activist threw stones in the House of Mr.Pramod bedi and damaged his property to a great extent.
· Children home was attacked in G- udaygiri, phulbani
· 13 villages were burnt down in the Bargarh district
· Around 1,800 houses have been destroyed in Kandhmal alone
· 15 organizations have been attacked. This list doesn’t include the Catholics
· Christian houses attacked in Phulbani
· HM Sister's residence (Ainthapalli) has suffered damage in sambhalpur
· Houses destroyed Khajurinal, Balliguda Kandhamal
· 3 Christian shops were looted and burnt. Pastor Alok Das and Pastor I M Senapati beaten up in Kharihar ,Kalahandi
· Christians attacked Naktikani ,Kalahandi
· 3 villages were burnt down in the Gagapati district
· 82 houses were burnt in Mandasara Kandhmal
· Samvadh, reported fresh incidents from Koraput District where a Christian house in Ramgiri was burnt completely.
[This list is compiled with assistance from Archbishop's House Bhubaneswar, Dr. John Dayal, Christian Legal Association, Light Foundation and EFI News correspondents across India and other reliable sources]
Evangelical Fellowship of India
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