Petition Against Attack on Christians in Orissa....PLEASE SIGN AND GET OTHERS TO SIGN TOO.....

 Dear Friend,
 
 I have just read and signed the online petition:
 
 "Petition Against Attack on Christians in Orissa"
 
 hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition
 service, at:
 
 http://www.PetitionOnline.com/RAJ1962/
 
 I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might
 agree, too.  If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider
 signing yourself.
 
 Best wishes,

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj

DIRECTOR - PRASHANT

AHMEDABAD

 

*Christianity in Orissa is being burnt at the stake* - Anonymous

 

 

This is an emergency. There is a pogrom-like campaign being carried out
today in most districts of Orissa, with the worst situation in the central
district of Kondhamal. All over the state, Churches and Christians are being
systematically attacked. And the outside world doesn't know.

 

Some of you may know that the district of Kondhamal (or Phulbani) in the
middle of Orissa was racked by violence in December 2007, just 8 months ago.
The violence erupted on Christmas Eve, when there was an attack on the
cavalcade of Swami Lokananda Saraswati, a leader of the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad. This happened on top of a mounting agitation by the tribal
organization, Kui Samaj, against Dalits and their claim for tribal status.
The two together made a potent combination. Almost immediately a cascade of
events followed, with trees cut all over the district to close off roads,
and mobs on a trail of destruction. Four days later, so much was lost –
Churches, Christian NGO's and infrastructure were selectively destroyed. In
the fights that broke out at least 300 Hindu houses and 300 Christian houses
were destroyed.

 

An Enquiry Commission was set up to probe into the violence. This last week
we have seen news reports of people giving evidence to the Commission. Some
have been alleging that the whole thing was pre-planned and orchestrated by
the VHP. And in the middle of all this, an armed group of maybe 20-30 people
broke into the Ashram of Swami Lokananda and shot him and 4 others. Press
reports suggested this was the work of Maoists. The VHP says it was the
Christians. Even as the body of the Swamiji was being brought to his home in
procession for the funeral rites, a state-wide bandh was called. The Press
reported that the Bandh was complete almost throughout Orissa, with all
traffic stopped, trains held up, shops and offices closed, schools and
colleges shut etc, while protest processions were taken out in most towns.

 

But what the media did not report was the huge campaign of violence that has
been unleashed in district after district, and town after town. The district
of Kondhamal was cut off exactly as was done in December, but this time the
reports coming out are of vicious violence, targeting Christians and their
homes; priests and nuns; Churches and Christian Organisations. We are
hearing desperate cries from friends in the districts ; one girl whose house
was destroyed with a bomb last evening ; she and her family are hiding in
the forest now. Another of our girls, saying her house has been burned down
and she can't locate her family members. Another called to say nuns are
being raped and priests kidnapped. There are reports of arson and
destruction of Churches from all over Orissa – Boipariguda and Narayanpatna
in Koraput District, Umerkote in Nabarangapur District, Muniguda and
Bissamcuttack in Rayagada District, Padampur in Bargarh District and so on.
The news we are getting is that the Police and the District Administrations
are trying their best to control situations, but they are far too few in the
face of simultaneous movement of multiple mobs.

 

All sorts of agendas and scores are being settled under the cover of a
"spontaneous backlash". It is neither spontaneous or a backlash. The
innocent are made scape-goats.

 

I write this as night is falling on the 25th of August 2008. Officially the
Bandh is over. Roads are being cleared and traffic is beginning to move. But
will the violence end ? And who will count the losses ? Or do we just go
back to work as usual. Does India care ? The National Press is busy with
J&K, and Singur and Beijing. We are too insignificant to warrant reporting.
But Information is our only hope. The news must be publicized. People
outside have to know what is happening. And so I write to you. Please look
and listen. And pray for us.
(Given the risks involved, I prefer not to put my name on to this piece)

 

- --
The three most difficult things for a human being:
Returning love for hate;
Including the excluded;
Admitting that you are wrong.

 

MURDER OF CATHOLIC PRIEST CONDEMNED......

 

 We condemn the brutal murder of Fr. Thomas Pandipally, CMI in Andhra Pradesh on August 16th / 17th 2008.

 

We call upon the Government of Andhra Pradesh, very specially the Chief Minister, the Director General of Police and others responsible, to investigate into this murder immediately and to bring to book all those responsible for this heinous act.

 

We also call upon the Central Government and all the State Governments to look into the consistent attacks on the minorities of this country, very specially on Christians and Muslims and to ensure protection and security of every single citizen under the freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

 

 

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Director

PRASHANT

Ahmedabad

 

 

 

 

 

20th August 2008

 

PRASHANT CONDEMNS MURDER OF A CATHOLIC PRIST IN ANDHRA PRADESH

 

 

We condemn the brutal murder of Fr. Thomas Pandipally, CMI in Andhra Pradesh on August 16th / 17th 2008.

 

We call upon the Government of Andhra Pradesh, very specially the Chief Minister, the Director General of Police and others responsible, to investigate into this murder immediately and to bring to book all those responsible for this heinous act.

 

We also call upon the Central Government and all the State Governments to look into the consistent attacks on the minorities of this country, very specially on Christians and Muslims and to ensure protection and security of every single citizen under the freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

 

 

 

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Director

 

 

 

 

 

20th August 2008

 

PRASHANT CONDEMNS MURDER OF A CATHOLIC PRIST IN ANDHRA PRADESH

 

We condemn the brutal murder of Fr. Thomas Pandipally, CMI in Andhra Pradesh on August 16th / 17th 2008.

 

We call upon the Government of Andhra Pradesh, very specially the Chief Minister, the Director General of Police and others responsible, to investigate into this murder immediately and to bring to book all those responsible for this heinous act.

 

We also call upon the Central Government and all the State Governments to look into the consistent attacks on the minorities of this country, very specially on Christians and Muslims and to ensure protection and security of every single citizen under the freedoms and rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

 

 

 

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Director

 

 

 

 

 

20th August 2008

 

STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE KILLINGS AND VIOLENCE IN ORISSA

We condemn the killing of Swami Saraswati and four of his associates during the attack on the VHP Ashram in the Kandhamal  District of Orissa on Saturday 23rd  August 2008.

We sympathize with the bereaved members of the families who have lost their loved ones.
 
We call upon the Orissa and the Central Governments to do all in their power to bring to book immediately, those responsible for this dastardly act; that anti-social elements do not take law and order into their own hands and above all, to ensure that peace and calm prevail in the area, and in other parts of Orissa.
Violence, for whatever the provocation, is non-acceptable, and will definitely not help achieve the goals for which these acts are committed.  We therefore call upon all those responsible for these  acts and to eschew violence immediately.

 

No violence can be justified, for whatever the reason.  However, for the last several months, the Government of Orissa has allowed some fascist and fundamentalist forces to terrorize the poor, the marginalized and the minorities of the State.  These forces have carried on their virulent propaganda and their violent acts with apparent immunity.

 

There has been a  total abdication of responsibility by the Government of Orissa and the concerned authorities, like the police.  They should now also be held totally responsible for these deaths and for allowing the situation to go out of control.

 

Sufficient warning has been given  to the Orissa Government, of the deteriorating situation,  as early as in September 2006, with the publication of "Communalism in Orissa" - the Report of the Indian People's Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights - headed by Justice K. K. Usha (Retd.) former Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court. 

 

It may still not be too late to ensure that the Constitutional Rights and Freedoms of the people of Orissa are not merely guaranteed by also protected by the State.

 

 

 

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Director

PRASHANT

Ahmedabad

 

 

25th August 2008

 

STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE KILLINGS AND VIOLENCE IN ORISSA

We condemn the killing of Swami Saraswati and four of his associates during the attack on the VHP Ashram in the Kandhamal  District of Orissa on Saturday 23rd  August 2008.

We sympathize with the bereaved members of the families who have lost their loved ones.
 
We call upon the Orissa and the Central Governments to do all in their power to bring to book immediately, those responsible for this dastardly act; that anti-social elements do not take law and order into their own hands and above all, to ensure that peace and calm prevail in the area, and in other parts of Orissa.
Violence, for whatever the provocation, is non-acceptable, and will definitely not help achieve the goals for which these acts are committed.  We therefore call upon all those responsible for these  acts and to eschew violence immediately.

 

No violence can be justified, for whatever the reason.  However, for the last several months, the Government of Orissa has allowed some fascist and fundamentalist forces to terrorize the poor, the marginalized and the minorities of the State.  These forces have carried on their virulent propaganda and their violent acts with apparent immunity.

 

There has been a  total abdication of responsibility by the Government of Orissa and the concerned authorities, like the police.  They should now also be held totally responsible for these deaths and for allowing the situation to go out of control.

 

Sufficient warning has been given  to the Orissa Government, of the deteriorating situation,  as early as in September 2006, with the publication of "Communalism in Orissa" - the Report of the Indian People's Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights - headed by Justice K. K. Usha (Retd.) former Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court. 

 

It may still not be too late to ensure that the Constitutional Rights and Freedoms of the people of Orissa are not merely guaranteed by also protected by the State.

 

 

 

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Director

PRASHANT

Ahmedabad

 

 

25th August 2008

 

Herald, Panjim, 19 June 2008

 

TERROR'S NEW FACE

 

Editorial

 

The arrest of sevaks of the Sanatan Sanstha, a religious group that is behind the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti for planting bombs in theatres at Thane and Vashi brings a new dimension to terrorism. Seven people were injured when one of the bombs the sevaks planted exploded in the parking lot of Thane's Gadkari Rangayatan theatre on 4 June.

 

Ramesh Hanumant Gadkari, Mangesh Nikam, Santosh Angre and Vikram Bhave, the four bombers, are all full-time activists of the Sanatan Sanstha, living in ashrams run by the organisation. Their
arrest at the end of a 10-day investigation by the Maharashtra Anti-terrorism Cell exposes what many have suspected for a few years now; that not all terrorists are Muslim, and there are Hindu
terrorists too.

 

Police say that they had planted a bomb outside a mosque or dargah on the Pen highway last Diwali, to check its intensity, but it did not explode. Nikam had earlier set off a bomb in the house of
a family in Ratnagiri that had converted to Christianity, and was on bail awaiting trial.  Ever since there was an accidental bomb blast at a flat in Nanded rented by Bajrang Dal activists a few years ago, there has been suspicion that extremist Hindu organisations were also carrying out terrorist attacks. However, police forces in India never seriously investigated this phenomenon, blaming the Malegaon blasts, the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad, the blasts in the Jaipur dargah, etc, on 'Islamic terrorists'.  Now, they need to have a fresh look, and see who was really responsible.

 

The Sanstha has said it had no knowledge of these activities and that the sevaks did it 'on their own'. But the police say it is very clear that at least one of the bombs was assembled in the
ashram premises, though no bomb-making materials were found in Gadkari's room.

 

Protestations of innocence cannot be taken at face value, and the organisation must be investigated thoroughly. Its literature talks of 'elimination' of 'evildoers', and though no doubt they will claim that the words are used in a figurative and not literal sense, the police need to rigorously look into its voluminous literature and check out its activities with a fine tooth comb.

 

This is because the Sanatan Sanstha and the Bajrang Dal, two Hindu fundamentalist organisations that are both linked to bomb blasts, are the main constituents of the broad joint front called the Hindu Janajagriti Samiti, which has been holding public meetings all over Goa claiming Hinduism is in danger, and making provocative speeches.

 

Besides, the leader of the Sanstha, Dr Jayant Athavale, lives mostly in Goa at Mangueshi, and directs the organisation' s activities from this state.

 

What is especially troubling is the editorial written by Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray in yesterday's 'Saamna', his party's newspaper. He has advocated the creation of 'Hindu suicide squads', saying that the only way to counter the threat of Islamic terror is by 'Hindu terror'.  This threat cannot be taken lightly. Terrorists typically target innocents, and with two varieties of terror 'taking on' each other with
bombs, it is ordinary people who will be blown to bits.

 

CJP Condemns Blasts - Appeals for Assistance for Victims.....July 28, 2008

 

The CJP appeals to all citizens, organisations and corporate groups to donate generously to our relief effort in Gujarat. Daily wage earners, rickshawpullers, sweepers frm the Valmiki community, innocent children of barbers and vendors lie injured in hospital with each day from work, also a day of hunger and deprivation for the rest of their families.
Financial aid to them will be CJP's first priority. Secretary CJP, Teesta Setalvad and trustee, Rahul Bose visited Ahmedabad on Sunday and personally recorded details of the victims.

 

Children, women and men have also faced great trauma. We hope to be able to work with the victims on a long term basis to assist them out of the irreparable loss they have suffered apart from in the immediate, lending assistance for those injured who are faced with the loss of daily wages.
 
Please donate generously to the Citizens for Justice and Peace, Mumbai. Send queries to sabrang@vsnl.com and cjpindia@gmail.com. The CJP is a registered body with tax exemptions under section 80 G of the Income Tax Act. Cheques and contributions ca be made out to Citizens for Justice and Peace and posted to Nirant, Juhu Tara Road, Mumbai 400049.

 

The CJP is in touch with Hospital Staff and Victim Families directly. For instance, our visit on Sunday has got the direct contact numbers of such families. These will be completed and collated by tomorrow mid-day.(July 29, 2008) In about three days our database will be complete and we will revert to any and all of you interested in funding with full details including photographs. Please understand that our visit yesterday was fraught and hurried, victims were in pain and hence some details are incomplete. We have mobile numbers of the victims. CJP will ensure full transparency in this relief effort as we did after the carnage of 2002, the flood in Mumbai in 2005 and the Mumbai Blasts of 2006. (Even the Gujarat Government/Collectorate has not uplinked any victim or survivor details yet)

 

The CJP also collected details of the injured victims from the Civil and LG Hospitals and these too will be added to the data base as soon as possible.

 

For example

 

Ø  Pradeepbhai and Jayeshbhai, both at the VS Hospital with over 90 per cent burns are serious and in a critical condition.

 

Ø  Naineshbhai Dalal, Khadia in the OICU of VS Hospital is very serious. He has a shrapnel lodged inside the wall of the heart. He has been operated upon but is critical

 

Ø  All the injured blast victims at Ward Number 6 (Male Surgical) at the VS Hosptal are in need of assistance. For example,

 

Ø  Bed 17—Chaganbhai

 

Ø  Bed 20—Madanbhai Vanjara

 

Ø  Dineshbhai   --very poor

 

Ø  Bed 30-Babubhai Pochabhai (He has lost hearing in both ears, is a sweeper and suffered as he was in the fateful bus number 150, which explosion resulted two persons loosing their lives. He lives in the Valmiki Vyas).

 

Ø  Babu (Ishrar Mohammad). Six year old Ishrat is severely injured with shrapnel in his head, unconscious with serious head injuries. His mother Sugrabi is also serious in the same hospital. His father is Jaleel Ahmed a barber from the Ramol area. 
 

All patients in the Post Operative Ward at the VS Hospital are serious.

 

Ø      Bhavnabehn (very serious but stable)

 

Ø      Rajubhai

 

Ø      Mukeshbhai

 

Ø      Naineshbhai Dalal, Khadia in the OICU from VS Hospital very serious he has a shrapnel lodged inside the wall of the heart..operated upon but critical

 

 
 

 

Teesta Setalvad,
Secretary

 

 

 

Trustees: IM Kadri (Vice-President), Arvind Krishnaswamy (Treassurer), Anil Dharker (writer), Alyque Padamsee (communications expert), Cyrus Guzder (corporate leader), Ghulam Pesh Imam (businessman), Javed Anand (writer and social activist), Javed Akhtar (poet and script writer), Nandan Maluste (financial consultant), Rahul Bose (actor), Cedric Prakash (social activist), Teesta Setalvad (journalist and social activist)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 28, 2008

 

Press Release

 

CJP Condemns Blasts

 

 

 

The serial blasts in Ahmedabad, targeting innocent lives are dastardly acts of terror that have wrecked human lives and also generated terror and fear among ordinary citizens. The CJP unequivocally condemns them and demands that the actual culprits, after fair investigation, are punished. The targeting of busy market places and worst of all, hospitals, where the sick and injured come for medical aid exposes the vicious and cynical mind of the terrorist. The CJP also condemns the blasts the day before in Bangalore that has led to the unfortunate situation that professionals need to be provided security.

 

The staff and doctors of all Ahmedabad's Hospitals, the Civil Hospital, the LG Hospital, the VS Hospital and Rajasthan Hospital need to be saluted for the singular hard work they have put in to save lives and achieve a sense of normalcy in the wards.

 

Two members of the Citizens for Justice and Peace, its secretary, Teesta Setalvad accompanied by Rahul Bose visited the city, met the victims in visits to all hospitals and also visited the blast sites. A detailed list of names of the injured has been collated by CJP so as to enable immediate relief, especially for the daily bread winners from Ahmedabad. This list will be made available to all who are interested with photographs.

 

The atmosphere in both  Ahmedabad, the rest of Gujarat and the country (after the Bangalore blasts) is fragile and therefore the need to maintain calm and project voices of reason. The need of the hour is dialogue between communities and individuals as the sinister aim of the terrorist is to create hatreds and suspicions between communities. Moreover all investigations into the terror attacks should be transparent accountable. Terrorism and terror attacks should not become the subject of irresponsible politicisation. To combat terror we must stand firm, calm and united.

 

The need of the hour is immediate peace and communal harmony….social activists and political leaders must move among the people, speak to the victims, help ease the trauma and above all ensure that no cheap political gain is made out of this tragedy. In  Varanasi (Kashi) that saw blasts at the Sankat Mochan temple in March 2006, the active presence of silent street and mohalla committees who worked 24 hours, to dispel any suspicion and panic, to the scores of religious organisations, notably those from the Muslim minority who stepped forward,  spontaneously and unequivocally,  to condemn the heinous acts and offer help and sympathy to the victims, it was the ordinary people of this ancient and historic place of pilgrimage that typifies India's Ganga-Jamuna culture, who then emerged the victors against terror. Ahmedabad maintained calm, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. We must now ensure that lasting peace is built on this calm and this city that has seen bitterness, violence and division builds bridges out of the tragedy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

STATEMENT FROM CONCERNED CITIZENS OF GUJARAT RE. RECENT BOMB BLASTS

CONCERNED CITIZENS OF GUJARAT

 

STATEMENT ON THE RECENT BOMB BLASTS

 

We, the Concerned Citizens (some of us representing groups / organizations / networks) condemn in no uncertain terms, the recent bomb blasts in Ahmedabad and Bangalore .

We do believe and reaffirm that violence and terror in any form have no place in a law-governed, justice-seeking and humane society and do not serve any real or imagined purpose.

We express our deep heart-felt sympathy and solidarity with all those killed or injured in these blasts. We condole with all our sisters and brothers who have lost their near and dear ones. May the departed souls rest in peace.

We pledge to do all we can, both as individuals and groups, to respond to the immediate needs of those affected; be it in ensuring that proper medical care is given; be it in the care of their children who have been orphaned or any other long term measures for their full and just rehabilitation.

We call upon the State and Central Government to provide just and adequate relief and compensation to all those who are affected and to ensure that this reaches the victims without any kind of discrimination and without any bureaucratic delays or hassles. We commit ourselves to render all assistance to them in securing all relief and compensation declared by the Government.

We earnestly appeal to all those involved in this violence or any other acts of violence to stop this madness immediately. Let them realize that all of us irrespective of our caste, creed or language are capable of joint struggle for just, equal and better society and none of these violent or terrorist acts will deter us or deflect us from our path of seeking justice by all democratic ways. We are fully aware that there are several issues which need to be resolved, that there are flagrant violations of human rights and there are gross abuses of law and denial of justice, but people's democratic struggle is the answer, not violence or senseless terrorism.

We strongly oppose and condemn all mischievous attempts by vested interests and government authorities to communalize the whole issue, to target and to terrorize one community and to frighten another community with a feeling of insecurity. We are deeply distressed and anguished by the widespread harassment and illegal detention of the members of one community only, in order to cover up the police and intelligence failures in detecting and preventing the terrorist acts. This is nothing but the denial and violence of the basic human rights guaranteed by our Constitution and assured by the International law of Human Rights. State terrorism is no answer to private terrorism. We promise all innocent people who are sought to be harassed or detained by the police that their human rights will be protected.

We have no doubt that the series of blasts in Ahmedabad in a well-orchested manner demonstrate the total failure of our intelligence system which is unfortunately politicized to serve the interests of the ruling party. We fail to understand as to how the anti-terrorist squad, much boasted about can collect every small piece of information of conspiracy to kill our Chief Minister (C.M) and other dignitaries but is stunned and did not have any information about a well and executed series of bomb blasts in different parts of the city at regular intervals of 10 to 15 minutes. The people would like to ask as to how the other C.M (viz. Common Man) failed to get the same assistance from our Intelligence Bureau. Is it that only the Chief Minister's life is valuable, but not the life of a Common Man?

We also believe that the demand for POTA or Gujarat Act is only a political demand to mislead the people. Those leaders conveniently forget that almost all stringent and draconian provisions of the POTA except provision regarding confession before the police and bails are reproduced in the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act under which the police, if willing, can effectively act. These leaders also forget that terrorist attacks on the Parliament and Akshardham in Gandhinagar and Gujarat Carnage of 2002 took place when POTA was very much there. Will they explain why they could not prevent them, even though they were in power both in the State and in the Centre?

We call upon the State Government to immediately constitute a Judicial Commission under the Chairmanship of a Sitting Supreme Court Judge to investigate into the why, what and how of these organized terrorist acts of bomb blasts in Ahmedabad. It is necessary for the people to know the whole truth and nothing but the truth, however unpalatable it might turn out to be. We strongly condemn all direct and subtle attempts on the part of certain vested interests to make one or the other community appears to be guilty or blameworthy, instead of establishing the truth by independent and impartial enquiry and investigation agency.

These bomb blasts indiscriminately killing or maiming common people of large parts of the city open up a great opportunity for all of us constituting the civil society to come together, forgetting our differences and our past and to challenge terrorism of all groups and of all kinds and fight together to save our society, our nation and our humanity. Only people living and walking in harmony can alone defeat terrorism from all sides. Let us stand one and united and challenge all divisive forces out to destroy our rich national heritage of pluralism and diversity.

Signed Ahmedabad 30th July, 2008

Girish Patel

Hiren Gandhi

Sophia Khan

Saroop Dhruv

Justice A.P. Ravani

Cedric Prakash

Hanif Lakdawala

Francis Parmar

Prof. J. Bandukwala

Rakesh Sharma

Prof. Nisar Ansari

Piyush O. Desai

P.K. Valera

Mukul Sinha

Ashok Vaghela

Sheeba George

Pushpa Iyer

Damayanti S. Parekh

Digant Oza

Nafisa Barot

Gautam Thaker

Shamshad Pathan

Savita Xalvo

Edwin Masihi

Gaurang Raval

Manisha Trivedi

Rohit Patel

Rupa Mody

Amrish N. Patel

Indu Kumar Jani

Abid Shamsi

Jwalant Mehta

(and about 200 others)